The secret life of a rose
by cressey
Summary: Okay this is another weird mix up of couples. For those who like Sachiko and Yumi together I have done that in this one, although they aren't the lead couple by any means. Yuri and foul language. Don't read it if you have sensitive eyes.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Maria sama ga miteru. If I did it would contain swearing ladies.

**Rei's story.**

**The mess begins to take shape**

I sit here now, just staring into the space between reality and the shadows of my own mind, barely feeling the snowflakes that are landing on my hands and face, yet being fully aware that the weather is as dismal as my mood. I can see it all spreading out in front of me, beautiful white sheets of snow, the lanterns all lit and letting off a gentle glow that should have warmed me... yet my heart was filled with nothing but a pain that my eyes just couldn't express with tears. The emotion that the event had caused has numbed my soul into nothing. How could I ever feel again when my heart was no longer a part of me?

It had started two days ago. No; scratch that. It had been going on for years to be honest. I had always seen myself as her protector, her knight in shining armour. She was my reason to get up in a morning which is just as pathetic as it sounds to be honest. If I could be there to get her to smile on the bad days, if I could be there for her when she was barely there herself; then I would be happy. I had never needed anything more than to just see her happy. Odd times had appeared when I had needed to touch her cheek or to swipe a lock of hair out of her face so that she looked her best, but other than that I hadn't needed anything more from her. Then she had started to grow up and she wanted to do more than just sit and play with dolls. I had become her real protector. I was always at her side to catch her when she fell and scraped her knees, or when she had over done it and fainted. I had worried a lot; so much, I worried because I was always scared that she would push it too far. I was scared that her weak heart would no longer keep her up. However two days ago he had come into the picture.

She's safe now. She won't faint or over do it now. I'm not her protector anymore. What would she need me for? I'm just her cousin; a friend that she no longer has to rely on. Could it be possible that I had been the one relying on her? All of those things that I needed from her... am I really that weak that, I need a reason to get up every morning? Why can't I be like the others? So many stupid, ridiculous, unanswered questions. The one that took the biscuit though, the one question that ripped me apart inside was... Why in the hell was she attracted to such a weedy little man? Why couldn't she at least be attracted to somebody that could stand up for her? She might not have a bad heart anymore, but she sure as hell isn't fucking invincible. There are other dangers out there other than her health. I just want her to be happy and safe. It isn't as if I want her to be with me all of the time. In fact the more I think about it now. I really need to get a life without her. She isn't everything that I need, she's my cousin and my friend but she can't be the other things that I need.

"Rei-San...?" The voice of an angel slides into my senses and I close my eyes as a delicate hand slips into my short hair.

"You looked so deep in thought that, I was a little apprehensive about coming over to you. What is it that makes you look so worried?" The angel asks and it takes all of my will to lift my head and look into those beautiful eyes. She's looking down at me and I can see the smudge of dirt that is travelling down her jaw to that delicate chin of hers. Why does she have dirt on her face? I take a second to look over her and I see that her top is a little ripped and her skirt is creased. I look lower to where the blood dribbles slowly down her legs from the grazes on her knees. She's hurt and she's worried about my frame of mind? My frame of mind was shattered at the sight of her looking so distressed.

"What happened Yoshino? Why do you look in such a state?" I ask as I rise to my feet and take her into my arms. She is mine to protect, mine to see right by, mine to... Love? Is that what I am doing; loving her? I'm asking myself a question that doesn't have a straight forward answer. I do love her but it is as my cousin and it will always be that way. My heart skips a beat as her slight arms slip around my waist and hold me as I hold her. No it isn't love; it is, but it isn't the love that I had thought it was. I just want her to be happy and safe; I don't care if it isn't me that is causing it.

"He was such a wimp." Her voice is strong and not like she was hurting at all. Was she really that strong?

"Some idiot punks started up a ruckus and he ran home like a baby, a fast baby, but still a baby. He left me there to face them on my own. If you think I'm in a state you should see the other guys." She actually laughs a little bit, as if what she is saying is funny. How could she think it was amusing?

"Weren't you scared?" I whisper. I don't much feel like talking loudly at the moment. She hasn't released me and I'm not about to release her so there is no need to talk in a tone other than a low one.

"I was a little bit scared, but then I remembered that I told you I wanted to see you after my date, so I had to be strong. What were you thinking about Rei?" She asks and as she does she looks up at me. I can't stop myself. My hand moves to cup her jaw and gently wipe the dirt off of her. Her eyes become a little brighter as I try to form words in my head and project them out, but I can't find a sentence that will explain it.

"Rei-San...?" She pulls on my shirt and my eyes focus on her again.

"I was... I feel a little..." I sigh and shake my head.

"It doesn't matter Yoshino I was just daydreaming." I say and her eyes dull again.

"I've never told you this Rei... But I really hate it when you keep things to yourself when they hurt you." She says and pushes me away from her. What have I done now? I look at her wondering what the hell I'm meant to have done to make her angry as she stands there fuming with me.

"You looked so worried and angry and, and... Why in Maria-Sama's name won't you talk to me about it? I'm sick of it. It has always been one way with you. I talk to you about my problems and it helps; I trust you, but you can't even give me that." She snarls and I sit back down on the steps. I prefer it when I'm just worrying about her when she isn't here to hurt me for it. Well there's one thing; now she's back with me I'm not numb anymore. Maybe that isn't such a good thing. I shouldn't be numb without her. I should have a life without her and the thought makes me angry with myself.

"You wouldn't understand Yoshino." I say and get a slap around the face for my words.

"I'm not the kid Rei. You're the one that's acting like a child. You're the one that is bottling things up instead of talking and now you're sulking like a brat."

"Yeah and slapping is such a grown up thing to do to get your point across." I glare as I rub my cheek.

"Oh shut up." She barks at me and I look at her as if I don't know her anymore. I know exactly what I'm doing right now. I'm pushing her away so that I can find my identity without her. Before I was always looking out for her. Now I have to look out for myself.

"Now you're telling me to shut up? I can't keep up with you. You want me to talk and then you're rude enough to tell me to shut up? I can't believe I was ever worried about you." I scowl and she backs away from me.

"I was thinking about everything, okay? I was thinking about how we've grown up together and how I've protected you through the years. I was thinking about how much you have grown up and I've stayed with this stupid idea of protecting you. You've become strong and you've left me behind, and I need to move on and grow up now." I'm not whispering anymore and those beautiful eyes of hers are sad. They are welling up with tears and I force down my need to wipe them away from her. I push away the need I have of making her feel better. She doesn't need it anymore; she's strong enough on her own.

"Rei-San... You're such an idiot; such a stupid idiot. Does it look to you like I don't need you?" She says and I drop my eyes to her bloodied knees.

"Do you want to know what I was thinking about when I was on my date? I was thinking about the look on your face when you saw my date. You looked jealous." Yoshino is quiet and all I can do is stare at her. Jealous...? I wasn't jealous was I? Why would I be...? That has to be one of the most ridiculous things I've heard all month.

"Why on earth would I be jealous?" I snarl and she glares at me.

"Am I really that repulsive to you that you couldn't be even a little bit jealous?"

"What...? Where did that come from? What are you talking about Yoshino? You're my cousin."

"So I can't love you?" She asks and I blush hard. What is she saying to me? I can hear her, and I can see her lips moving, but I can't understand her for the life of me. I don't get it. Why is she pulling me back to her when I need to get away?

"I'm so sick of you right now. I'm going home Rei because you're a plank. You can't even tell me that you don't want me. Who's the child?" She asks before walking away from me. I watch the footprints she leaves behind and I just let her go. My head is hurting too much for me to stop her. What does she want from me? She's my cousin and she just happens to be a woman. It isn't like we'll be understood or married off together like Sachiko and Suguru so what is the point? Why can't she just allow me to do what I want? I get to my feet and kick at the snow before I turn back to face the way she had disappeared. I run after her hoping to get to her before she get's to her front door. I have to make her understand what is in my mind and I have to try and understand what is going through her mind. I run as fast as I can and like the idiot I am I slide on a load of ice at the front of my house. I turn as I fall and put my hands out but I land weird and hear myself cry out in pain.

"Rei...!" My angel's voice shouts and I hold my arm to my stomach as I grind my teeth together whilst trying not to cry.

"What on earth happened?"

"What do you think happened? I was running after you to shout at you for something or other and I slipped. I think I broke my arm."

"Then I have absolutely no sympathy for you."

"For somebody that's meant to love me you aren't being very kind." I growl and she scowls at me.

"You have no idea how much I love you or for how long it has been so. It isn't my fault you're blind."

"You're my cousin and I don't know who I am at the moment."

"You're a plank." She says simply and tears start to pour down my cheeks. I can't hold them in anymore and the drench my face within seconds.

"I'm sorry Rei I didn't mean to make you cry." She says and hugs me to her.

"I'm not crying because you were nasty. I'm crying because I've broken my arm and it hurts; and you're leant on it." I sob and she lets go of me. I'm not that weak that I cry at her cruel words. What does she take me for?

"You always were the more delicate out of us." She says as she takes out her mobile phone and dials a number.

"Hello Aunty, it's Yoshino. I'm outside on the front with Rei. She's fallen and broken her arm. Yes we're sat on the pavement out front." She says into the phone and I roll my eyes. If my parents come out, then I can't talk to her about what I want. Then again it doesn't seem that we are getting onto that subject anyway so what does it matter?

I look back as my front door opens and my mother and father step out and rush at a steady pace towards us. My mother actually looks quite amusing; it seems as if she is waddling towards us. She looks so worried for me before she lays eyes on Yoshino and sees the state that she's in. She immediately picks up my smaller cousin and starts fussing over her and asking her what happened. Yoshino just calmly relays back to her what she had told me and my mother shakes her head in disgust.

"Men these days have no honour or duty when it comes to women. When I was dating your uncle, if a load of men had made trouble he would have defended me without a question." She looks calm and she sounds calm to the untrained ear but the three of us catch the sour tone to her voice. My dad looks down at me with kind eyes and holds out his hand for me to take with my good hand. He pulls me up just as easily as my mother pulled up Yoshino, but then he is a lot stronger than he looks.

"What are we going to do with you hay?" He asks kindly.

"You can't practice at the dojo or do your school work if your right arm is broken... Oh my..." He says as he looks at my arm and sees the blood that is dying my shirt red.

"It looks like a nasty break."

"Father all breaks are nasty. I don't think there is such thing as a nice break for the person on the receiving end." I say and he nods at me.

"Okay then lets get you in the car." He says.

"Darling you can stay here and take Yoshino home." My dad says and Yoshino shakes her head. I watch her braids move from side to side and wonder just what she means by love. When I say love I mean that I love to see her smile and I love it when she laughs, but does she mean it as something more? Does she mean it like Sei loved Shiori?

"I want to go with Rei-San Uncle." Yoshino whines and my dad shakes his head at her.

"You need to get cleaned up Yoshi. You've had a busy night and you need to relax. You can see Rei when I bring her back." My dad says and pats the top of her head before going to the car. I join him and sit in the passenger side as he starts up the engine. I lean my head against the window and close my eyes. To be honest I haven't had that much sleep since I found out that Yoshino was to go on a date. All I had done was worry about it because I had known something would happen. I'm sick of worrying now and all I want to do is sleep.

"Rei... I know it probably isn't something I should be asking; and this is probably a conversation best left to your mother, but I was wondering... What are your intensions towards Yoshino?" My father asks, and my eyes shoot open as I turn my head sharply to look at him whilst blushing with a vengeance.

"Pardon...?" I ask in little more than a squeak.

"Well I don't know if I'm putting 2 and 2 together and getting 75, but the way you hold her reminds me of the way I used to hold your mother, and the way she looks at you reminds me of the way your mother used to look at me." He says and I turn my head to stare out of the window.

"I don't have any intensions towards her other than protecting her, and I'm not even sure that she needs me to do that. I just need to find out who I am before I can do anything, and to be frank, I have never thought about her as anything other than my little cousin." I say in the most diplomatic tone I can muster up.

"I'm not very good with subjects such as this but I have always been there to help you with every aspect of your upbringing. Just know that... Whoever you choose to love, whether it be male or female, I will always be there for you." He says and I close my eyes again. Why does everyone believe that I have a thing for women? I don't do I? Well; there was that one time when I caught myself glancing at Kaori in the changing rooms, and then there was my date with... Maybe I am gay, but then I always wanted to be the perfect wife so where did all that fit into it? I wanted children and a husband and... I really don't want that anymore. It all seems so bland and the idea of it is fine until I realise that I have never been attracted to males.

"Thank you, father." I whisper without turning to look at him. He always had a way of speaking out things that were on my mind even when I couldn't identify them. So what does it all mean? A light doesn't flash in my head and it doesn't all become clear to me. I might be gay and I might just be stupidly confused because it seems like my cousin is that way inclined. Am I looking for something that I shouldn't even be considering; a relationship with Yoshino? Am I taking the easy way out because I have always loved her on a level? I haven't ever consciously thought of her in a sexual manner but now I can see the moments where I had held her and stroked her hair or watched her sleeping... I can't imagine her as anything more than my little Yoshino. I take out my mobile and ring the one person that could possibly understand. I ring the one person that I most probably will regret ringing.

"Sei-Sama...?" I ask and hear her yawn at the other end.

"Gokigenyou Rei-San what can I do you for?" She asks in her typical flirtatious way and I smile as the tension slides away little by little. How is it that she has that effect on everyone she comes into contact with?

"I need some advice. Is there any chance we can meet up next weekend?" I ask and her condemning chuckle turns my blood cold.

"The great Rei needs advice off of a white rose? I feel like all my birthdays have come at once."

"You've never enjoyed your birthdays Sei-Sama." I say and she grumbles.

"Yeah I just realised that as well. Anyway it will be my pleasure to help you out. What is it...? Have you finally put the moves on Yoshino?" She asks and I dumbly gawp at my mobile.

"I have done no such thing and I would prefer it greatly if you didn't talk like that. But you hit close enough to the mark." I mumble and she laughs.

"Are you free on Saturday?"

"Hmm let's see... Well I don't have anything booked in so I'll slot you in for Saturday. What time?" She asks back and I stare at my mobile again. She still has the weirdest sense of humour I've ever encountered.

"How about 2?"

"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you then."

"Okay Sei-Sama. Gokigenyou." I say and she says it back before we hang up. I move to place my mobile back in my pocket but my right arm gets in the way and it hurts like a mother Fer.

"Go careful Rei." My father warns me. I'm sure he's telling me to watch my language instead of my arm because, I bit my lip to stop myself from cursing.

"We're almost there so you'll be fine. Maybe Yoshino shouldn't stay over for a while. At least until it doesn't hurt you when you move your arm." He says and I nod silently.

**Sei's POV**

**More mess**

Why is it that everytime Rei stays away for longer than a week I ache? It's as if my life isn't complicated enough with my fondness for little Yumi-Chan; that's one complicated deal right there. I love her like I love all of my friends yet I have a soft spot for her that could drive a major wedge between her and Sachiko. I know that she loves Sachiko and that Sachiko loves her, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to do things to Yumi that could probably get me arrested. So then... If I have these things in my head about Yumi; why do I want Rei? Rei is, and probably always will be, my best friend. She's been there for me ever since she joined the Yamayurikai. Nobody on the council knows that we spend a lot of time together or just how close we are, because for some reason we kept our distance in the meetings. If they knew how close we were then they would probably think that there was something more going on between us; if only that were the case. I don't know what is going on in my head. I think I might be in love with her.

I look at my phone and wonder what kind of advice she could need from me. She's always been so mature so what could she possibly need to talk about? Then again she did say it was about Yoshino, so maybe they are getting together. Why does that make me feel bad?

"So that was the infamous Rei-Chan was it? The best friend that I still haven't met?" Kanata says as she plonks herself down on the sofa and leans down so the back of her head is rested on my thighs. I smile at her as I stroke the loose long dark hair out of her face. Her hair reminds me so much of Sachiko that it's unbelievable; the only difference is that Kanata's is a little bit longer.

"Yeah that was Rei. She's having some problems so, big sister Sei is going to the rescue." I joke and start to feel a little ill. Don't ever think of her as your sister again Sei that's gross. I think to myself. If it's gross for me to think of Rei like that, then what is it like for me to think of Yumi as my little sister? Well they always did call me a pervert and now they have a reason to.

"Hey, where are you?" Kanata draws my attention back to her and I shake my head.

"Right here. I was just arguing with myself sorry." I give her a cheeky grin and she rolls her eyes at me. She's been my flat mate for the past year and still she doesn't know me that well. We're close, don't get me wrong but it's a different kind of close. It's the; _shit I got drunk and woke up in her bed_, kind of close.

"So when are you going to meet her?" She asks me.

"Saturday... before you ask; no you can't come with. I have a feeling whatever she wants to talk about is strictly confidential." I say and she pouts at me.

"You're no fun. So what are we doing this weekend?" She asks and I grin like a buffoon.

"The same as we do every weekend Kanata. We're going to take over the world." I do my worst impression ever of a really funny British cartoon.

"Nah we're going clubbing because we can." I say and she smiles at me.

"Then you can invite Rei-Chan with you." She says and I roll my eyes at her. I don't want Rei to go. 1... She'll probably be in a tizzy with what is going through her head and 2... I want to keep her to myself. I sound so obsessed. I'm not obsessed with her but, if _you_ could see Kanata you'd know _why_ I want to keep Rei away. Kanata is a stunner and it's that plain and that simple to see. She's approximately an inch or so shorter than me with long black hair and the body of a goddess. Her eyes are pail grey and her bosom is more of a distraction than Youko's could have ever been.

"Will you get out of your head?" She asks me as she pokes my belly playfully. I twitch at the contact because... I really hate to admit this but... I'm really ticklish. It's a weakness I'm not fond of but it seems to keep Kanata amused.

"Sorry... Erm... I'll ask her if she feels up to it but she isn't the type of person for things like that." I say and she raises an eyebrow at me.

"She's a rose for crying out loud woman. You know; the sweet, innocent, catholic school girl squad, that never do anything wrong." I say and she laughs at me.

"Weren't you a rose?"

"I'm an exception to the rule."

"And why is that?" She asks me and I shut up. She knows she's hit something tender with that question and I hate the fact that sometimes she can see into me. I'll get over it though.

"I need to get some sleep." I say in a low voice and she sits up before pinning me down to the sofa. I look up into her shadowed pail eyes and see her soft smile as she gazes down at me. I feel trapped and I hate it. I always did hate being confined.

"I'm sorry I seem to have upset you." She leans down and kisses me on the lips. My mood doesn't lighten at all at the intimate contact but it does make me ache in a more pleasant way. If this is what she wants then I'm more than willing to give it to her. Even if my mind is calling me cheap right now. Why is it that even after Shiori I still have an idealistic view on love? I'm so Naïve it's ridiculous. It's a good job that I'm not attracted to Kanata for anything but sex. She gets off of me and gives me a sly smile. She did that on purpose. She's going to leave me hanging again.

"Goodnight Sei." She says and walks into her bedroom. She isn't in there ten minutes before I hear the vibrations. What is the point in that? I'm right here! Why would she need to do that when I'm willing to do that and more for her? I hear the muffled groans from her room and a shiver runs down my spine and turns into a warmth that spreads through me. I hate her so much right now. I walk passed her room and boot the door before going to my own room. I strip out of my clothes and chuck them to the floor ready for wash day before crawling under my beautifully warm covers. I turn off the electric under blanket and snuggle up until everything except my hands are warm. I don't know why but my hands are never warm. Maybe I have a lack of blood. Ooooh, that sounds creepy.

You do realise that all of these random thoughts are me trying to get Rei and the ache in my groin out of my head. And my admission to that just made them stick in my mind even more. At least I can do something about the ache. I pick up a book off of my nightstand and start reading. At least this way I'm distracted.

To all of you out there that thought I was going to do something rude... Shame on you, you dirty little perverts. Do you honestly think I would tell you in detail if I was to do something like that? Shame on you. Jesus this book is boring the back teeth out of me. Robin Hood? My left arse cheek is more interesting to be honest. Are all English authors so idealistic? Steal from the rich and give to the poor? The guy would get mugged if he tried that around here. Oh well, I guess that it is something fun for kids to read. What I would give to have that back... Not. I like having my own independence and an abundant supply of women around the corner for me. That was... Around the corner... not **on** the corner... just in case you were wondering. There's a gay bar down the street and around the corner. It saves on taxi fare that's for sure.

**Okay that was the first instalation. The next ones will be up withing the next few hours. Sorry about the holiday frolics one it just irritated me like nobodies business.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own marimite**

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**Rei's POV**

**I'm gay?**

It's stupidly early in the morning and I'm struggling to get dressed because of the pot around my right arm. My mother offered me help but I was always too proud to allow her to dress me. Even at a young age I always tried to do it myself. It often meant that she had to re-dress me though because I wasn't all that good at colour coordinating myself. I'm not doing badly with the colours now. It's just the pulling up and on of the clothing that I'm struggling with.

"Rei-San hurry up. We're going to be late for school if you don't." I hear the voice of my little angel outside my door and growl inwardly at the fact that I actually call her something so pathetic in my mind.

"I'm sorry Yoshi." I say using her little pet name.

"Why don't you run along and I'll see you later?" I ask and hear her huff at me through the door.

"I'm not breaking tradition because you were stupid enough to break your arm. Are you being stubborn and not letting anyone help you or are you being arsy about last night?" She asks and walks into the room. I stand there holding my bra in my hand because I can't put it on without hurting myself and my uniform is laid on the bed looking neatly pressed. I'm stood there in just my knickers and socks and the looks on both of our faces are pictures of embarrassment. I turn my back on her and she utters an apology about walking in like that.

"It's fine." I grumble and start struggling with my bra again.

"Put your arms in and I'll fasten it; and don't even consider pissing me off by saying no." Why is she always so aggressive? If she shows me up at the council meeting today then there is no way that I will be able to keep my calm with her. She can push me too far sometimes and I had a feeling that today was going to be one of those days. I am in pain and she is being as irritating as ever so it is a total possibility.

I'm dressed before too long and she looks a little proud of her work. I just feel like an invalid and I wonder why I'm even going into school with my broken arm. It isn't as if I can do the work so what is the point in it? We walk to school like we always do; side by side or sometimes she is a few steps ahead of me, but she always looks back with a smile, just to tell me that she isn't going to leave me behind. Sometimes she can be the sweetest little thing ever with small gestures like that, and then other times she can be the devil incarnate. Today she is showing the world her smile but she is showing me a look that I'm not sure I want to see. She smiles at me but her eyes are telling me that she doesn't like me today. She loves me yet she doesn't like me? I remember that my mum had said something very similar to me once when I broke her favourite fan. She had said:

'_I love you Rei-Chan but I don't like you right now go bug your father.'_ Yes that was a very fond memory... Not. I look at her and I'm tired of it all. I thought that maybe I would get one day to sleep and regenerate myself, but instead I have to go to school; and I need to talk to Yoshino even though she refuses to listen to anything I try to say to her. I stop and a few other Lillian students pass me. A few of them say good day and I reciprocate their greetings but I don't really pay attention to their faces. They could have been any number of girls that had passed me and I couldn't possibly remember all of their names. I acted like the perfect rose as always though and they seemed to buy my façade. Yoshino comes back to me after realising that I am no longer walking behind her. She stops in front of me with her arms crossed at her waist and her foot tapping the floor as if she is really irritated with me but I just give her a cool look that seems to irritate her further. She waits until more girls have passed us and the street is relatively clear of anyone that might over hear her telling me off for no good reason.

"What are you playing at Rei?" She asks and I suck on the inside of my cheek as I think of a way to talk to her.

"Well... I'm not playing at anything to be honest. I want you to understand something and..." She tries to step away from me but I grab her with my left hand and push her against the wall I had been leant against. There is bound to be students watching us from somewhere but I just don't care at the moment.

"Stand still and listen to me Yoshino because I'm sick of this farce. You always have it your way so for once just behave and do as you're told." I growl and she just looks at me too stunned to move.

"Thank you. Now I want you to understand that right now I'm too confused by these past few days to comprehend what my feelings are towards you. You are the dearest thing in the world to me and I do love you but I have a feeling that it isn't in a way that you want. I have never thought about you like that and I don't know if I ever can. I don't recognise what is in my heart at the moment so just give me time and I'll get back to you with it. For now just do your duties and if you don't want to talk to me then I'm fine with that." I say and she just remains stood there silently. I can see my words working through her mind and then she starts to frown. Her lip starts to shake and my heart aches as the thought crosses my mind that I might make her cry. I didn't want to go from the one that made her smile to the one that makes her cry.

"I hate you Rei." She growls and storms away from me. She stops a few feet away from me and turns to face me as she grabs her rosary out of her blouse. She takes it off and throws it at my feet with a look of disgust on her face. She turns away from me again and I watch her walk away with a horrid feeling in my chest. Maybe it's better this way; maybe. I kneel down and pick up the rosary with my left hand. I stay knelt for a moment looking at the thing that had meant so much to her when I had first given it to her. I stand and slip it back around my neck but I make no move towards school. I really can't be bothered with it today. I take out my mobile.

"Sei-Sama..? Do you fancy blowing college today?" I ask and she stays silent for a moment before laughing down the phone at me.

"Are you serious? Since when do you cut school?"

"Since today. What do you think?" I ask and she chuckles again.

"I'll meet you outside the college gates in my car." She says and I smile. I carry on my way and get to the college gates quickly. There are even more Lillian students passing by me now because the gates are right next to the school gates. A few students stop to ask me about my arm and the others just say good day. The news paper busy bodies quickly crowd around me but like a saviour, Sei pulls up at just the right time and flings her passenger door open for me. The Lillian paper will probably have a field day with this as a story. The yellow rose driving away with the last white rose when she's meant to be in school? Yeah there are going to be a lot of weird rumours. Right now though I can't give a flying fire truck about what they think. I have no worries about what the other roses will make of it either. I get into the car and shut the door before fastening my belt and turning to look at Sei.

"Before you ask I slipped and fell which is why I'm potted up right now." I say and she gives me her biggest cheekiest grin ever.

"I was actually going to ask if you would like to borrow some of my clothes because we can't walk around with you dressed like that." She says and I smile back at her with a nod of the head.

"Okay then... Home James." She chuckles and steps on the gas. The car lurches out of its parking spot and screeches down the street. Her driving, even if it is terrifying, sure is exhilarating and even a little refreshing. I sit there looking out of the windshield. A few times my eyes turn in her direction and I see the look on her face as she concentrates on the road ahead. Her concentration face was just as amusing as her stupid grin. Her tongue sticks out at a point in the corner of her mouth and her eyebrows furrow inwards as she all but glairs at the road. It's as if she's daring it to make her crash. Highly strange in my opinion but I have no idea what is really going through her mind.

"Sei-Sama... Are you wearing make-up?" I ask as I notice the dark colours and eyeliner above her eyes.

"Yes... I was trying to impress a woman at college but she never seems to notice me. Can you believe it; me going unnoticed? It's unheard of." She grins and I pull a face at her.

"Anyway, less of the Sei-Sama, by all means drop that stupid honorific because it makes me feel like I'm still a part of the Yamayurikai. You are my best friend I'm sure I can extend that privilege to you." She says and I nod at her.

"Okay then Sei. So you're trying to impress this woman by acting like something you're not?" I ask and she opens her mouth before quickly closing it again. Her eyebrows furrow as if she's deep in thought as she slowly nods.

"Yeah I guess I am, but then there are only a select few that know the real me. Not even my friends at college know the real me." She says and I nod gently.

"You mean they've only see the face you want them to see, the one you always tried to show us? If it wasn't for Yumi then I think even we wouldn't know the real you. There would just be Eriko and Youko and that's a very lonely world for anyone." I say and she shakes her head at me.

"When you say lonely I say peace and quiet. I like my own company more than I like seeing through everyone else's masks."

"Well just so you know... I'm not putting any guards up with you. You either like me as I am right now or not." I say quietly and stare out of the passenger window.

"You've become so sure of yourself in the past few weeks." Sei says as she carries on driving and turns down a small road.

"The thing is Sei... I'm not self assured. I don't even know who I am anymore." I say as she pulls up outside what I guess is her apartment. To say we have been really close friends since the Yamayurikai; I don't actually know a great deal about her except from what she tells me. I haven't been to her apartment before today and I don't even know if she has any room mates. She never talks about them if she does. Then again she doesn't talk about college or work that much either. Does she actually talk at all or is that just an illusion? She turns the engine off and relaxes back into her seat.

"Do you want to talk about it here or up there?" She asks as she lifts one of her legs and places her foot onto the seat. She looks comfortable but I don't know if I can talk about it right now. I can try though. I take the rosary out of my blouse and show it to her. Her eyes become wide as she looks over the thing that binds us all to our soeurs.

"I'm not entirely sure about anything that has happened these past few days. Yoshino went on a date with a boy and for a moment it felt like my life was over and done with, but then when she came back we started arguing and she told me that she's in love with me... I... I love her but... I don't love her like that. She's my little cousin and I've always been close to her, but I don't want to be that close to her... I said that to her; or words to that effect and she got angry with me and threw this back at me."

"How can she be angry at you for being straight with her?" Sei asks and I shake my head at her.

"I think I might have said it all wrong and I was might have possibly been a little nasty about it. I wasn't thinking straight. I haven't been for days and she got the bad end of the deal." I murmur and she nods.

"She told me that she hates me. How can she hate me so soon after telling me that she loves me? I don't understand any of it anymore."

"Maybe you just need a break to sort your head out. It sounds to me like you're going through what is commonly known as teenage angst and as far as I can see you're rebelling as well so a break sounds good to me." Sei grins and I shake my head.

"I'm not rebelling I just can't be bothered with anything anymore."

"It's the same thing you knob. Come on let's get you into something more comfortable. That uniform used to make me feel so confined it's unbelievable." She says as she opens her door and steps out. I open my door with my left hand and do the same as her. She shut the door for me and locked it up before leading me into her building. We walked up to the second floor and opened a door on our left. I followed her in and walked straight into her back.

"Sei...!" I growl as I hold my right arm and wince.

"What are you doing back so soon you're meant to be in college?" I hear a woman's voice and Sei remains quiet for a moment longer.

"Kanata...? Why are you walking around naked?" Sei asks the woman that the voice belongs to and I poke my head around Sei to see what she is talking about. The sight that is stood before us makes my heart thump in my chest. The woman isn't even blushing about being caught in her birthday suit.

"I always walk around like this when you go to college. I find it very liberating. Who's your friend with the saucer eyes?" She asks and I blush before hiding behind Sei. Sei turns her head and looks at me with a grin.

"Rei, I'd like you to meet Kanata. She's my room mate and she doesn't always walk around naked. Well not when I'm around at least. Kanata, Rei is my best friend."

"It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you from Sei and Yumi-Chan." She bows at me and I see her breast move.

"I wish I could say the same but I didn't know you existed. It's nice to meet you too..." I manage to squeak out and she smiles before retreating into a different room.

"Well that was weak." Sei pulls a face at me and I just stay stood still with pink cheeks.

"You really need to learn how to react around naked women. So why did you come to me for advice instead of Sachiko?" She asks as she leads me into a room with a huge bed and a built in wardrobe. It would have been minimal... if it wasn't for the clutter on the floor. Doesn't she know how to keep her room tidy?

"What would Sachiko know about it? She's marrying _her_ cousin." I say in a bitter tone and then relax a little.

"That wasn't fair of me really was it? I just needed to talk to someone who knows about women." I say and she laughs at me as she rummages through her wardrobe.

"So you came to me? You're so misguided if you think I know women. I know myself and that's what gets me through it all. To be honest I struggle just like everyone else."

"Really...? But you are gay, aren't you?" I ask and she laughs again with a nod.

"Yeah but that doesn't mean that I know anything. The only way you get to know about things like this is through experience and let's face it; even if I am the coolest woman in Japan, I don't have that much experience. You're asking me for advice when I need a stern talking to myself." She says and I can tell that she is being totally serious.

"What could you need advice on? I tell you what; you help me and I'll see if I can help you." I say and she smiles with a nod as she passes me a pair of jeans and a black band t-shirt with the sleeves ripped off.

"Okay then." She sits down on the bed as I take off my blouse and struggle to put the t-shirt on.

"Well to put it frankly; I like a girl that I can't have. So, to get her out of my head I have been avoiding her and trying to chat up a woman from college that has absolutely no interest in me." She says it all in one breath and I just stare at her as if I am the dumbest animal on earth.

"You're in love?" I ask and she nods with sad eyes.

"Maybe love is too strong a word for it but I'm more than just a little fond of her." She says.

"May I ask who she is?"

"Yumi-Chan..." She whispers and my stomach falls out of my feet. She's fond of Yumi? Well I knew that there had to be something there because of the way she had flirted with Yumi, but I could have never imagined that she is in love with her. It's just so... like Sei to get into something as complicated as that. Sei's in love with Yumi-Chan and Yumi-Chan is in love with Sachiko and boy is that one big mess of emotions.

"It's so messed up though because she's in love with Sachiko and I know that Sachiko loves her back but she can't get out of her marriage to that stupid puff cake of a man." Sei's voice becomes a little angry when she is talking about Suguru. She has always hated him and to be honest I can't blame her. She isn't just fond of Yumi. I can hear it in her voice that she loves her. Either that or she's in love with someone else.

"What kind of man is he if he denies the fact that he's gay and drags Sachiko along just for the money? If he loved her at all as a cousin then he wouldn't let her be hurt like that." Sei growls and I nod in agreement as I pull the jeans up and try to fasten them. I struggle 4 times before Sei taps my left hand away and does it for me. Heat rushes down into my groin as I feel her index finger brush against me slightly. It must have been an accident so I keep my internal reaction off of my face.

"Thank you." I say weakly and she nods.

"Don't worry about it. I figured I'd let you try it on your own just to see if you could do it. If you're anything like me you'll hate people thinking of you as an invalid so I wasn't going to do anything." She smiles and grabs a leather jacket out of her wardrobe.

"A biker jacket? You don't own a bike." I say and she shrugs.

"I know that but it looks cool. It gives off that bad girl vibe." She smiles and places it around my shoulders. She's so close that I can smell the delicate perfume on her neck.

"It's cold out and I don't want you to freeze."

"What would Eriko say if she saw you caring like this?" I smile and she grins at me.

"She would probably tell me off and think that I have an ulterior motive; or something stupid like that. Come on I think I should gel your hair." She says with a dangerous glint in her eyes. She wants to do what with my hair?

"Hey Kanata are you dressed yet?" Sei shouts down the hall as I follow her obediently.

"Yes why...? Would you like me to get undressed again?" She asks back and I blush like a maniac at the though of her walking out of her room naked.

"No thank you. I want you to help me give Rei a make over." She says and my blood turns to ice. A, what...? What in Maria-Sama's name is she talking about? A door on the hall opens up and the woman comes out carrying a bag that is bigger than my school satchel. What on earth does she have in that thing? Sei grabs my good arm and pulls me into a bathroom that is barely big enough for one person never mind three people. She sits me down on the rim of the bath and grabs a tub of something that doesn't look too harmful.

"What look are we going for?" Kanata asks as she kneels down in front of me and places the bag on the floor. I watch her open it up with wide eyes as I see the amount of make-up she has neatly placed in separate compartments.

"Rock chick and rebel." Sei says as she rubs the contents of whatever is in the tub between her hands.

"Very nice." Kanata says and she lifts out a few select items. She places her arms on my knees and looks up at me as Sei does something to my hair. I'm not really bothered about what she's doing because I'm too busy being nervous about how close the woman is so me.

"Relax Rei she doesn't bite." Sei says and the woman smiles at me.

"Much." She finishes of Sei's sentence.

"So you're still in school? That must really suck for you." She says and I shrug.

"It's not that bad and I only have a few months left." I say quietly. I try to look away from her but I can't. She's so beautiful; a real woman and nothing like the girls at school.

"Oh yeah...? What do you want to do after school?" She asks and I smile softly. I have thought about this subject for so long that I know exactly what I want to do.

"I'm going to take over the dojo after my father and run that; but until then I'm going to study Japanese and English literature." I say in total confidence of my future.

"Sounds like you know what you want out of life."

"I have no idea what I want I'm just going with what I like." I say and she nods at me as Sei finishes off my hair. Sei squeezes past Kanata to get to the sink and the woman stands up to start off my make-up. I turn a bright shade of pink when I realised that I have a full view of her cleavage. She notices but she doesn't do anything about it. Does she want me to see her like that? What's going on? How many times do I have to ask that question today? Sei is snickering in her usual way and I have to force myself to look up at Kanata's face. How come Sei had never mentioned her room mate? It isn't like we don't keep in touch at least once a week. Other than Yumi I had been the only one that Sei had kept in contact with. Well me, Yumi and Shimako.

"Hey Sei have you talked to Shimako about that thing?" I ask suddenly.

"What...? Oh, Shimako... No, I haven't seen her in ages to be honest. She has Noriko to keep her busy. That child is a real handful." Sei rolls her eyes and I smile.

"Yeah, she doesn't exactly go with the white rose reputation of quiet. Don't get me wrong, she can be quiet but when she gets together with Yoshino they don't shut up." I say and she smiles.

"There's only you and Yumi that I talk to and I haven't even talked to Yumi in a few months. You're my only friend Rei." She pretends to be upset but I know that it's a lie.

"Yeah sure and my only friend is my right hand." I say and Kanata's eyes light up.

"That's how you broke it is it?" Sei chuckles and I roll my eyes at her this time.

"No, I was running after Yoshino because I needed to shout at her and I slipped on the ice." I say but I'm not really paying attention to that. I can feel myself blushing when Kanata touches my face with her soft hands and my eyes refuse to stay looking at her face. Her cleavage is just too tempting a destination for them. So I am gay... great stuff. That's just what I need. Would it be like this all the time now? I can't go around blushing at every woman with a nice rack, because that would just be perverted. How come I hadn't noticed it before? I mean, it isn't like I've just suddenly turned into a lesbian. It doesn't work like that. If it did then I wouldn't have been looking at Kaori in the changing rooms and my date with... That wouldn't have ended with a kiss.

"Why did she have to be such a pain in the fucking rear end?" I ask Sei who just gawps at me.

"Did you just curse...? Since when do you curse, you're a rose." She says and I look back at Kanata who gives me a gentle smile.

"Girlfriend troubles?" She asks and I shake my head.

"Cousin troubles, we had a great big falling out which is why I'm skiving off school today."

"Women..." Sei toots sarcastically with a shake of the head.

"Do you fancy staying here this weekend Rei? I'm sure Kanata and myself can get you hooked up with someone." She grins and she knows what my reaction is before I even give it.

"What...? No I don't I... I wouldn't know what to do." I say and blush redder as Kanata pulls a face that says nothing but... _Aww that's so cute_. Yeah, because I _need_ patronising right now. (For those who don't know yet, that is my sarcasm.).

"You won't ever find out what to do unless you put yourself out there." Kanata smiles at me and I blush at her.

"I figured with all those books you read you'd know all about the finer points of a woman's anatomy." Sei grins and I'm not amused in the slightest.

"Nah, books don't give you experience Sei. Real life gives you experience." Kanata says as she puts the finishing touches to my face.

"And looking like that you could probably pull more women than Sei." She says to me and I look in the mirror. I don't look bad but it isn't my idea of pretty. Kanata and Sei seem to like it though so I guess it's a good thing.

"I think we should take you to school looking like that." Sei chuckles and I laugh out loud.

"Lord no, the nuns would keel over and die." I grin stupidly and she nods.

"That's the whole point. Anyway, other than that there are only a few places to go when bunking off. The pub, which is our first port of call. The snooker rooms is where we are going second and then to the pub again."

"I'm so going to get shouted at for this." I say as I rise to my feet. Kanata is actually an inch shorter than me which is quite nice.

"We don't have to drink Rei. The pubs are good places to scope out women and we can have something to eat there." Sei says with an understanding smile.

"But then what would be the point in rebelling if I don't go all out?" I ask as I step out of the cramped up bathroom.

"Good point." Sei says and tries to follow me out of the small room but Kanata takes her arm and keeps her in the room.

"I just need to talk to her for a moment, do you mind?" The woman asks me and I shake my head with a smile.

"Not at all, I'll wait down the hall." I say and walk away from them as she closes the door. I can't hear a thing from either of them from where I'm stood next to the front door, so I'm happy that I don't have to stand outside, because it really is cold out today. I wonder if Sei and Kanata have some kind of weird relationship thing going on. Sei sure didn't seem phased by the woman's nudity, but that doesn't mean anything does it? They do live together so maybe they have seen it all before and just aren't bothered about it. Why does it even matter? It doesn't I guess. I like Kanata though. I don't know her that well be she seems like the good kind. I've decided that I'm not going to drink in the pub. I'm going to do one better. I'm going to behave so that my father will let me out on the weekend. I'm going to take Sei up on her offer and go clubbing with them. If I act like daddy's little angel and pretend to be upset about Yoshino's rejection of my rosary then he will want me to be happy again. He will give me what I want. I feel a little deceitful but I just don't care any more. I need to find myself, and if that means getting as far away from the original me as possible then I don't mind in the least bit.

"Hey are you in there?" I hear a voice and blink before looking up and see Kanata and Sei grinning at me.

"You were well away then. I thought those evil fairies had come and sucked your brain out." Sei jokes and I pull a face in disgust. That has to be one of the most morbid things I have ever heard from my friend.

**The last chapter from Sei's POV**

Rei wants to see me? Right now? Why the hell is my heart beating like a drummer on speed? I was tired out not a moment before she rang me, because I had stayed up all night to get the book I was reading finished. I really hate leaving a book halfway through because, more often than not I never pick it back up again. Anyway that is going away from the point. I was tired before her phone call and now I'm wide awake and driving at my usual crazy speed. It's a good job that the Japanese police have better things to do with their time than watching the roads. I see her arm before anything else and a twinge runs through me. She's hurt? What happened to her? I pull up and shove the door open with a grin that I really do feel for once. She always has a way of bringing out my real smile and she doesn't even have to do anything. I need to get her out of that uniform. Okay that was a double entendre to be honest. I can't go around with her dressed in a Lillian uniform but I wouldn't mind undressing her either. I really wouldn't mind undressing her. She jumps in and we start talking like friends. We always do. What would she do if she noticed that I was watching her lips with a need to capture them in my own? What would she say if she knew that I wanted to run my hands through her hair? I shake the thoughts from my mind and she gives me a weird look. I smile at her and set off. I catch the small gasp that leaves her lips and smile wider before I start to concentrate on the road ahead of me. I can see her out of the corner of my eye. She keeps turning to look at me and then looking away again but I just pretend not to notice for the time being. I only just realised that I'm taking her back to my place and that Kanata doesn't have any morning classes. Shit! Oh well I can get through it. Sure _I_ can... but can Rei? She won't get too distracted by Kanata will she?

What the fuck is the woman doing walking around the apartment naked? How am I meant to keep Rei to myself if Kanata is walking around with her tits on show and that cute little tattoo of hers on her...? I really like that tattoo. Why does she look shocked when I tell her that this is Rei? Oh great and now she looks interested in Rei and Rei is blushing and hiding behind me. Thank you Kanata...! I praise the naked woman in my head as I feel Rei press up against my back. I can feel her warmth and the coldness of her hands. She has cold hands too? Well you learn something new every day.

I turn to look at Rei after Kanata has retreated into her own room and grin at the redness of her cute face. I poke fun at her for it but she doesn't look all that amused really. Well at least she doesn't pretend to be amused at my antics like a lot of the others do. I drag her into my room and almost go on instinct and push her onto my bed. I somehow manage to control myself though and let her go as I grab some clothes for her out of my wardrobe. She stands there clutching her satchel for dear life and she looks really unsure of herself. I wonder if she wants to kiss me like I want to kiss her. That sounds really silly doesn't it? If I don't want to kiss her then I want to do other things instead so this is pretty timid really. It isn't my fault honestly. It's her fault for being the captain of the Kendo team and being so fit. She struggles to get out of her blouse and I realise just how fit she is when I see her abdomen. It looks so tight and muscled. She has a darker complexion than me for some reason. It looks good on her though so I'm not complaining. I subconsciously chew my bottom lip as she unbuttons her skirt and lets it fall to the floor. I can't believe I'm actually sat in my room watching Rei get undressed. She's wearing the cutest little femme boxers ever created by man and dear lord I want to grab her by them and pull her onto my bed. She's talking to me whilst she's changing and I somehow mention Yumi but it all comes out wrong. It comes out as if I'm in love with Yumi and want a relationship with her. I should really learn when to keep my trap shut. She get's the sleeveless shirt on after a lot of wiggling in stretching and I am _so_ enjoying it. Watching the muscles in her stomach tense up and relax has suddenly become a very fond pastime of mine. Heat rushes to my face and my groin when she bends over to pull the jeans up with one hand. How can she make wriggling look so fucking sexy? I'm going to hell for my inappropriate thoughts and I know it so I'm just going to continue enjoying them whilst I can.

I get to my feet and push her left hand away from the zip and button of the jeans and slip my hand inside them slightly so I can pull the zip up for her. She doesn't seem embarrassed or even phased by the fact that my index finger brushed against her core for a moment then. I button the jeans up and she says thank you in a meek voice and all I can do is nod even though I'm a little irritated inside. I bet she'd have reacted to that if I was Kanata. She'd have blushed at me and gazed at me with those questioning eyes and then I could have made a move like Kanata would have. Why am I so nice? I could have easily made a move on her then but instead I did the right thing and got her a jacket to keep her warm outside. Well at least I got to wrap it round her shoulders. That got us a little bit closer.

We spend the day in the pub after being cramped up in the bathroom for a while so that we could get Rei's hair and make-up sorted out for her. Rei only had eyes for Kanata though and I'm more than just a little jealous. I could have been nasty when Kanata asked me if it was okay for her to pursue Rei. I could have said no and then she would have been stumped. Instead I said it was okay by me and she kissed me for it. I've done it again haven't I? I've stepped aside to let someone else have the one I want. I really piss myself off sometimes. I'll get over it. I always do.

**R&R Peeps**


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own Marimite. Oh and please R&R**

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**Rei's POV**

**Is it getting better?**

"Rei...? Yoshino is here should I send her up?" I hear my mother as I look for an outfit to wear on the weekend.

"No Mother I'd rather you didn't." I shout back to her but I know that it's too late. I can hear Yoshino's distinctive light footsteps on the stairs. I close my wardrobe door so that Yoshino doesn't see the biker jacket that Sei had given me. She had said that it suited me more and Kanata had agreed with a grin. That had settled the matter and I'd brought it home with me after washing off all of the make-up and hair gel. I had re-dressed in my uniform and Sei had dropped me of so that I could face my father.

"What happened to you today?" Yoshino asks as she walks into my room. I can't be bothered with it anymore.

"Yoshino I'm tired and I don't feel like talking. Will you please leave me alone?" I ask as I lay down on my bed. I can't do anything but face her because I have to lie on my left side.

"I'm sorry Rei. I was just worried."

"Well don't be I am old enough to look after myself."

"I didn't mean about that. I meant about the way I reacted this morning." She whispered and I closed my eyes.

"I don't care about that either to be honest." I say and I hear the choked sound that leaves her throat before I feel her kneeling on the floor at my side and pressing her hands on my bed.

"Why are you being so cold Rei? You're never cold to me. You always make me feel good about myself and protect me. What's happened to you?" I can hear the tears in her voice and I open my eyes to see them spilling out of hers. It doesn't make me feel good to see her in pain. It doesn't make me feel anything but pain.

"I'm sorry Yoshi." I whisper and try to touch her face but I can't because my right arm is potted up and I'm leant on my left one. I move back so there's room on the bed for her and she lays down facing me.

"I don't mean to be this way with you. I just thought that if I was nasty to you then you would stop loving me." I say as she continues to cry.

"I can live without any of that Rei but I can't live with you not being there. I still need my cousin."

"And you won't get jealous if I go on dates?" I ask.

"If you promise not to turn into my dad everytime a guy comes to my house." She says as she wipes her tears. I smile at her and nod gently.

"I want you to do one thing for me though." She whispers and a blush covers her cheeks before she looks back into my eyes.

"Rei-San... Will you give me my first kiss?" She says in nothing but a breath of a whisper. I stare blankly at her blinking at her continuously as I try to convey what she has said. She wants me to have her... That can't be right.

"I can't do that." I say softly as I shake my head.

"Why not Rei-San?" She's pleading with me but I can't do it to her.

"Because your first kiss is meant to be to someone who loves you as much as you love them. I can't take that from you because it wouldn't mean anything to me." I say and she looks down again.

"It would mean something to me Rei. I just always thought that you would be the one to give me my first kiss."

"It'll be better if you wait for someone else to give it to. A kiss from me would just give you hope of something more and that isn't going to happen. I'm sorry Yoshi but I have to do right by you, and taking your first kiss wouldn't be right." I say and she nods slowly.

"It's okay... The news paper has a story all written up about you running off with Sei." She changes the subject and I smile at her.

"Yeah I've been with her all day."

"So are you in love with her then?" She asks and my jaw drops.

"What..? No she's just my friend and that is something so complicated that I can't even get my head around it." I chuckle.

"Complicated...?"

"Yeah she's in love with someone that, loves someone else, who loves someone else, who is getting married." I say and furrow my own eyebrows as I go over what I had just said in my head. I think I got it all the right way round.

"No wait I think I got that wrong. She's in love with a girl who is in love with another girl, but that other girl is getting married to a man... Yeah that sounds a little bit more like it." I grin stupidly and she shakes her head at me.

"You could have just said Yumi. We all know how Sei feels about her. Well all of us except Yumi." We talk for hours like we always have. She tells me all about what has happened at school and on the council, and I try to take it all in but a lot of it goes straight over my head. When she gets off of my bed I offer her the rosary back but she shakes her head at me.

"It doesn't mean anything to me anymore. I'll be your soeur but I can't wear that anymore." She says.

"Well then give it to Aurora-Chan, because this is the one that needs handing down through the lines." I say and she takes it off of me. She gives me a weak smile, bows, and says goodnight before leaving me alone. I stand up and turn my light off at the switch instead of clapping my hands like I usually would. I think tonight I might actually get some sleep. I lie back on my bed and gaze up at the ceiling for what seems like an eternity. I'm running through the events of the day and thinking about how much fun it has been hanging around with Sei and Kanata. We actually spent all of the day in a pub with a pool table and some of Sei's other friends turned up. She had never spoken to me about any of them and I'm actually a little jealous of her. Her friends are so beautiful that I couldn't keep my eyes off of any of them. One of them, (I think they called her Rooky but I can't really remember it properly) had the most amazing smile and eyes I had ever seen.

I didn't actually get a chance to look at the others properly because Kanata stole me away for a game of pool. I don't know how I managed to play with my busted up arm. I had to play left handed which wasn't that easy and Sei had acted as my cue support for me. It felt a little weird with my best friend so close to my back. It was comfortable and actually really nice but it felt a little weird. I was in heaven. Everytime Kanata bent over to take a shot I could see right down her top and she knew it. She was flashing me and it wasn't discreetly either. Everytime she did it I would blush and the others at the table near us would laugh. They even placed bets on how long it would take me to pass out. I think if I had seen any more of her then I would have passed out and probably died from a burst blood vessel. Sei knew exactly what was going on but I couldn't ask her about it and she probably wouldn't tell me either. I won the match but I don't think that mattered so much. I don't think she was playing to win but, if I'd asked her about it I would have been laughed at. Orihime wanted to play against me after that, and then Sei said she would show us all how it was done. Kanata offered to be my cue support and I almost fainted at the feel of her bosom against my back. I didn't understand what was going on in any way shape or form. She was doing more than flirting with me. She was all but throwing herself at me and there wasn't anything I could do. I won't lie to you; I am really attracted to her, and I mean stupidly attracted, but I don't want anything from her or anyone else at the moment. I need to sort myself out otherwise I'm going to mess someone else up.

**R&R please. You know that your opinions mean everything.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own Marimite. Please read and review.**

**Rei's POV**

**That weekend**

"Just how many women are you going to make out with tonight?" Sei asks me over the music of the club. We're both sat with our drinks watching everyone else dancing out in the open club.

"I haven't kissed 1 woman tonight. They've all kissed me. I was just being friendly and they keep getting a bit too close with their lips." I giggle. The alcohol in my system is making everything seem a little slower than it actually is but it's fun. Is that the word to use?

"What about Kanata?"

"I haven't kissed her either." I say and she laughs.

"I know that. I want to know what you think of her." She says and I grin. I like her a lot and if I'd known she could dance like that then I would have snapped her up when we had played pool. She is perfect.

"She's cool. She's a nice woman." I say and she laughs at me.

"She has it bad for you Rei. Watch out though, I think she might be a bit too much for you straight off the mark." She grins and I nod and smile dumbly at her. A woman leans over the table to get my attention and I stare at her. Her bosom catches me off guard before I can look at her face but I force myself to do it. She looks pretty, but if it wasn't for her breasts she'd look a little plain. She offers me a dance and I agree as I get to my feet and shoot Sei a grin. She laughs at me and flags me off as I leave her at the table. My mind feels a little bit dull at the moment. The alcohol in my system is probably causing it and I wonder why I haven't ever come out with Sei before. I have never had so much fun as I am right now. The woman can dance but I find myself comparing her to Kanata. Is that wrong of me? I don't know why I have Kanata on my mind when I'm trying to loose myself in a sea of gyrating bodies. She sure is the only one that I want to have a go at dancing with though. We are avoiding each other I think. Or she's avoiding me, I'm not too sure. We had come in Sei's car and she hadn't said anything to me. Not even when she was doing my make-up for me. Why does she need to avoid me? Is she scared of me? I chance a glance back at the table and see Kanata sat there with a woman on her arm as she talks to Sei. It's okay for her to have a woman with her. I've been with women all night and we don't have any attachment to each other. I think it's amusing though when the stranger tries to kiss her and Kanata shakes her head. Why won't she let the woman kiss her? I haven't stopped any of them so far. The song ends and I realise that I've spent all of the time thinking about Kanata instead of paying attention to the woman. I've been looking at her and smiling but my mind has been it a completely different place. The woman steps against me and I can feel her breasts against me as she places her mouth to my ear.

"Do you want to find somewhere a bit more private?" She asks me and my blood turns to fire.

"I would but I've broken my arm and I happen to be right handed." I say back and get a laugh out of her. Her smile is infectious and it makes me grin back at her.

"Don't worry; you don't have to do anything except enjoy yourself." She says as she traces a finger down my jaw and further down my neck. I see her lips moving towards mine and this time I move to meet them. I kiss her back; unlike I had with the others. What's so different about this one? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she had just offered me... and I'm actually aching.

"I'm sorry but I can't." Where the hell did that come from? Why am I saying no to her? She's right here offering me _that _and I'm saying _no_ to her? I have to fix this and fast.

"Stay there I'll be right back." I say to her and almost run back to the table where Sei is sat with just Kanata. The other woman had probably gone off in a huff. I grab a napkin off of the table and a pen out of my pocket and pass them to Sei.

"Right my name and mobile number down please?" I ask and she laughs at my face as if I'm pulling an amusing expression. She takes the objects off of me and does as I ask before passing them back. I look over the napkin to make sure she has it all right before walking at a quick pace back to the woman. She's still stood there thankfully and she doesn't look too peeved off. I fold the napkin and I place it down the front of her top in her bra with a smile. She looks a little bit shocked and I actually like the expression on her.

"Give me a call in 6-8 weeks if you still want to and I'll show you a good time." I smile and she grins at me.

"You're cute kid. I look forward to seeing you in 6-8 weeks." She smiles and kisses me briefly on the lips before walking away from me. I watch her rear end as she walks and turn back to the table smiling like the Cheshire cat.

"Ha... You're unbelievable." Sei laughs at me and I shrug as I sit back down.

"What would the nuns say if they saw you like this?" She asked and I shrugged again.

"Who cares what they think? I'm actually enjoying myself for once. I like not having to pretend to be a lady." I smile at her and she agrees with a nod.

"We should publish a book... '_The secret life, of a rose'_. What do you think?" She asks and I laugh.

"After the rumours that went around with that stupid book before, I have a feeling that it won't be the brainiest of things to do."

"Oh, yeah." She says and starts to grin.

"I can't believe they thought I wrote that. How gay did they think I was?"

"Well you can get pretty depressing at times." Kanata says and Sei laughs at her.

"It doesn't mean I want to top myself. My motto is; once you hit rock bottom there is only one direction to go." She says and points skywards.

"Up... Anyway I am so over Shiori it feels like it didn't even happen to me. It's your turn to get the round in." She says to Kanata who rolls her eyes as she gets rather wobbly to her feet. She walks away and Sei grabs my attention away from her by waving a hand in front of my face.

"What's up?" I ask with a smile.

"I was thinking..." She says and I stop myself from telling her not to hurt herself because she looks amused enough as it is.

"The holidays are coming up soon and you finish school right? Well why don't we get all of the gang together? We can kidnap Sachiko and stop her wedding so that she can be with Yumi and we can steal Youko away from college so that I can get some and we can even nick Eriko away from her husband for a few days."

"You're putting too much thought into it Sei-Sama." I smile and she frowns at me.

"Instead of thinking about it why can't we just go ahead and do it? Thinking about it takes all of the fun out of it." I say and she nods with a smile once again on her face.

"What would you say if I told you that Kanata wants you in her bed tonight?" She asks and I can feel my face turning red.

"Has she actually said that to you?" I ask and she shakes her head at me.

"I would say that she'll have to wait because I'm not ready for anything like that at the moment."

"You're too mature even when you're rebelling." She laughs at me and I shrug. Kanata comes back and I give her a big smile as I take my drink from her. I make sure that my fingertips brush against her hand as I take the bottle from her and she smiles at me. Am I flirting with her or just winding her up?

****

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**Sei's POV**

**January**

"Rei what are you...?" There was meant to be a "doing" on the end of that sentence but instead the word got cut off by those beautiful lips of hers. I lean into the kiss and slip my fingers into her hair. It feels better than I had ever imagined it would. The woman I love is kissing me, and, for once it isn't a dream. It just so happens that we are both absolutely wasted on alcohol and Kanata doesn't seem to be making her move on Rei. How much time does she need? This all started in November, we're in January already. She'll be going home to her family soon so why hasn't she acted on her instincts and taken Rei? I pull her into my front as I trip over a pile of clothes and we end up on the floor laughing at each other. I have no idea why I'm laughing, but I am, even if my butt does hurt from whatever I landed on. How many women has she slept with this past month? Am I just going to be another statistic to her?

She straddles my waist and props herself up on her hands as she looks down at me with those amazingly honest eyes of hers. How come it has turned around like this? I'm meant to be the one with the experience. I am the one with experience! I make my move and flip her over so that our roles are reversed and I kiss her this time. I kiss her with all the passion I have ever felt for her. I just make sure I leave out the love, and the longing that I have for her. I can't have her feeling that. Not when she's struggling so much with Yoshino. Not when she has Kanata to love. Does Kanata love her? She hasn't mentioned it being love although the two are very close. Why haven't they had sex yet? I get Kanata out of my head in time to realise that I'm stripping Rei on instinct instead of paying attention to her. I make up for my mistake though and kiss my way down her neck just to hear her groan. I kiss my way down every bit of bare flesh on her torso that I can, before unfastening her bra, and capturing one of her dark nipples in between my lips, as I caress the other one with my fingertips. She writhes a little below me and I smile inside at the feel of her hard stomach against me.

"Oh Sei..." She breaths out my name and I raise my head slightly to see her eyes flutter shut. My heart is going haywire within my chest. I love this woman more than anything else. I unfasten her jeans and pull away enough to yank them down her long toned legs with her femme boxers and throw them away as I hold one of her slender ankles in my hands. I place a kiss to the bone and trail them down her calf and her inside leg. She groans the further I get up her thigh to her sensitive core. Her leg hooks over my back and tries to draw me in as I tease her. I blow against her delicate folds and she jerks slightly as I run my tongue up her outer lips. I wonder... does she shave or wax? Whatever she does I like it. I feel like a child opening a present as I use my fingers to spread her and dip my tongue in.

"Oh." She gasps and grinds her groin up slowly to meet me.

I open my eyes slowly as the cold seeps into my bones. Why aren't I laid in bed? Did I get that wasted last night that I didn't even make it into bed? I scratch my hip with one hand as I yawn and scratch my head with the other. I hate falling asleep on the floor; especially when I have such a nice warm bed.

"Well that's an attractive sight first thing in the afternoon." I hear a beautiful voice and my back stiffens. I roll over and look towards the bed where Rei is sat huddled up in my covers. What the... Oh my shit, what the fuck did I do last night? I try to cover my assets, but all I get from her is a laugh that has to be one of the most, incredibly delicious things, I've ever heard. She stands up and drops my covers on me so that I'm not showing anything.

"Who'd have thought you'd be embarrassed about your body after last night?" She asks me and I just gawp at her gorgeous nudity. She grabs her clothing from around the room and gets dressed before sitting back on my bed. Why didn't I make it to the bed? What did I do last night? Oh shit... If I slept with her then why am I being punished by not remembering it?

"You look a little confused." She says and I pull a face. Why can't I remember? Oh please let me remember it. If we had sex please let me. I plead with the evil beer demon.

"You don't remember do you?" She states with a bored tone. I shake my head and she shrugs at me.

"Oh well." She says in a breezy voice as she grins at me. What does she mean... oh well? I slept with the woman I love and I can't remember it. Sei you're a fucking idiot. I jump up and grab my diary and a pen. Inside it I scribble:

**Plan of action... next time don't get as drunk and then you'll remember it you fucking jock strap!!!!!!!!!!**

Yup that's a great action plan. I turn around and grin at Rei, but she's too busy looking up and down my body. I blush and grab myself as I turn away from her. I feel like steam is about ready to explode from my ears, and then she does the worst thing ever. She chuckles against my ear, and gives my bottom a squeeze as she stands behind me. My eyes roll in my head as I try to stay stood up.

"I'll get dinner sorted whilst you get dressed. Do you think that Kanata will be back soon?" She asks as she walks out of my room.

"I have no idea with that woman." I shout through to her and then remember that I'm not living at my parents, and that the kitchen is right next to my bedroom. I don't have to shout to be heard. Rei always makes dinner. It's weird really... We all usually get up in the afternoon, and either chuck out whoever we brought back with us, or leave them sleeping (depending on how bad our beer goggles had been the night before) and Rei always makes dinner. She's a really good cook as well. She really is the most multitalented woman I know.

"Hey Rei...?" I ask as I pull up some clean knickers. She pokes her head around the door and I blush at her like a moron.

"I didn't make a fool of myself last night with you, did I?" I ask and she grins as she shakes her head.

"No you didn't. You were very..." She stops talking as she thinks of a word. She simply shrugs again with that smile on her face as she leaves me on my own again.

"Hey wait there." I follow her out of the room.

"I was very what?" I ask her from the kitchen door and she keeps eyeing my up as she cooks. I hear the key in the front door and Kanata walks in looking a little worse for wear.

"Sei, why are you stood there in just your panties?" She asks me and I growl as I cover my breasts with my hands.

"Did you's two...?"

"No we did not." I bark at her and Rei gives me a questioning look. I bare my teeth at her and she just smiles as she pokes her head around the door and looks down the hall at Kanata who smiles at her.

"Did you?" Kanata asks the woman I slept with last night, but can't remember sleeping with.

"Nah... Sei's just in a pissy arsed mood because she can't remember who she slept with last night. I tell you it's a blessing in disguise for her." She hides her mouth from me and makes a face as she whispers in a loud voice.

"She wasn't pretty. Sei must have had her beer goggles steamed up last night." She says and I just gawp at her. She's lying right? I didn't sleep with a munter did I? I slept with her didn't I? Oh please tell me that I did.

"And what about you?" Kanata asks her and Rei smiles as she goes back into the kitchen. What is with that mother fucking, shit eating smile of hers? Kanata cocks an eyebrow at me and I bare my teeth at her this time. I am having a really bad morning and my headache is getting worse by the second as I berate my brains trying to remember what happened last night.

"If she was good enough to put a grin like that on your face then why isn't she still here?" Kanata says as she steps to the door of the kitchen at my side.

"I didn't think it was fair kicking Sei's friend out and not kicking my friend out at the same time."

"You get her number?" I ask and she chuckles at me.

"Jesus your memory is whacked." She grins at me.

"No I didn't. I don't have a need to. I never go with anyone more than once." She says and my heart sinks. It isn't going to happen again, and I can't remember the first time. I growl and turn on my heels before storming back into my room and getting dressed properly. I am _SO_ not amused this morning. How can she be so casual about it? She made it sound as if we had sex last night and then she evades my questions and acts like it didn't happen. I stop and clench my fists as I try hard to remember what I did. I know that I came in here but I didn't have a woman with me... I can't remember!!! I want to know what I did. No I don't. I only want to know what I did, if it consisted of me having sex with Rei. If it didn't then I have no need to know.

"Hey Kanata can you watch the food for me a sec?" I hear Rei ask Kanata and my flat mate's voice comes back as clear as day saying

"Yes" They sound mighty chummy this morning. Are they conspiring against me about something?

"Hey Sei come on." Rei says from my bedroom door and I reluctantly follow her out of the flat. We sit in my car for a while without saying a word before she turns to look at me with that smile that is opening up wounds that I didn't know I had.

"Stop smiling." I grumble and she blows a raspberry at me from between her lips as she faces the windshield and crosses her arms. She's frowning at thin air now.

"What do you want me to say?" She asks me and I turn to look at her. This is the real me, it has always been the real me with her; it doesn't mean that I have to admit that I love her though.

"Tell me what happened last night."

"We had sex." She says and I growl as I turn away from her and swear at nothing in particular.

"What's so wrong about it?" She asks me and I turn back to her.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with it, except the fact that I can't remember it, and I don't know if I made a prat of myself." I say and she starts grinning again.

"Stop smiling." I say but this time she doesn't and a smile starts to work its way onto my face, slowly but surely.

"What is there to smile about?" I ask and she turns and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

"You weren't an idiot last night. In fact I'm glad I didn't get so wasted that I can't remember it. You are being a total head case this morning though. I had a great time. It isn't my fault you have holes in your head that memories seem to fall out of." She says to me and I stick my tongue out at her. She snaps her teeth at me and I start smiling now. I had sex with Rei and she liked it. Woo Hooo!!!

"What I want to know is why you had to lie to Kanata about it." She says to me and I shrug. To put it honestly dear; it's because I'm madly in love with you, and I want to keep you all to myself, but I can't so I hide any connection I have to you by denying it. I don't say that out loud but that's the truth.

"She caught me off guard and I was only in my panties." I grin. It isn't a lie so I have a clear conscience.

"Oh well... Have you slept with Kanata?" She asks me and raises an eyebrow at me. What is it with all of these eyebrows getting raised?

"A few dozen times. Sure I have." I say and she nods as she sucks on her left cheek.

"Were you drunk every time you did it?"

"No... Sometimes I was just plain bored and needed something to pass the time with." I answer her honestly and she grins at me. She knows that I don't do lying when it comes to her.

"We should go upstairs before she burns the food. The woman is a great beautician but she can't cook to save her life. She could burn cereal." I say and Rei chuckles as she opens her door and steps out of my beetle.

**R&R peeps. This is a critical chapter lol I need opinions. Then again the whole thing is already written up so there isn't much that I can change**


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own Marimite. I'm also getting borred of writing that. Do I have to diclaim it everytime I stick a chapter up? It isn't like I'll go from not owning it to owning it... is it?**

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**Rei's POV**

**Graduation day**

"Rei... Hey Rei get up it's graduation day." I hear Yoshino and groan as I role over. Why do they have to have graduation on a Monday? I'm still suffering from my hangover that I got on Sunday morning. I groan again and try to cover my head as Yoshino bounces into my room and flings open my curtains. The girl is too excited and she's giving me a headache worse than the one I'm already hurting from.

"Come on Rei." She grabs my healed right arm and shakes it until I sit up and run out of the room to the bathroom. I'm sick for 15 minutes before my stomach goes back to being steady. I really shouldn't have drunk so much Saturday night. I can't even remember the name of the woman I had been with. I'm still tiptoeing around Kanata but she's doing the exact same thing so it isn't just me that doesn't know what's going on between us. We talk and laugh and essentially we have become really good friends. I'm just too attracted to her for it to stop there. I just wish I had the guts to make a move on her. I get back to my room and see Yoshino eyeing me up suspiciously. Now what have I done?

"You're like two different people, do you know that? You are the perfect lady at school but then on a weekend none of us see you until you traipse in at a god awful hour on a Sunday night. What's going on? Every Monday for the past few months you've been sick in the morning and you stink of alcohol, and smoke and perfume that I know isn't your's." She says and I shrug as I start to get my stuff ready for school. I need a shower and I mean I _really_ need a shower. She's right, I stink and the inside of my mouth feels like a carpet. I grab a clean towel out of the airing cupboard and head back to the bathroom.

"Are you even going to talk to me?" She asks and I give her a long look.

"Sure, you can keep me company whilst I wash." I say and she gives me a disapproving look. What was so wrong about asking her to sit in the bathroom whilst I wash? Sei and Kanata often keep me company when I'm in the shower at their's, but that's mainly because we are all needing to use it at the same time. I'm usually showering when Kanata is trying to do her make-up and Sei needs the toilet. She must have a dodgy bladder because she always needs the toilet.

"You can stand outside the door if my body offends you that much." I grumble and step into the bathroom. She follows me in and puts the toilet lid down so that she can sit on it.

"Aren't you excited about graduating?" She asks and looks away from me as I strip out of my clothes.

"Of course I am. I can't wait to get out of the place." I say and she nods.

"The sooner I get away from those hollow halls and stinking ginko trees the better."

"You used to love Lillian Rei."

"I've never loved Lillian. It's like a prison sentence and the only good thing I got out of it was my friends on the Yamayurikai and you being my petit soeur. The rest can go screw themselves backwards." I say and she squeals my name out as if I've done something wrong.

"I'm just being honest Yoshino."

"There's no need to swear about it. So what's going on with you and the different perfumes?" She asks and I turn to look at her.

"And the hicky on your boob and scratches on your back," her eyes are wide with shock and I look down to see the purple mark just above my left breast.

"I've been seeing some people." I say.

"Seeing? What does that mean?" Is she really that naïve?

"I've been going out clubbing, picking up women, taking them back to Sei's apartment with me and sleeping with them until the early hours of the morning. Is that enough detail for you?" I ask and she nods with a bit of a green look to her cheeks.

"Can you believe that I've _never_ felt so far away from you as I do right now? I don't know this side of you." She says and I smile at her.

"I wouldn't worry about it Yoshi. You're still my little cousin and I still love you like so, I've just changed a little. You can get to know this me if you would like." I say and she shakes her head a little. Is this her telling me that she doesn't want to get to know this person that I've become? Should I be bothered?

"That's okay Yoshi." I say and she looks into my face.

"I'll always be here to protect you because I don't want to loose the part of me that you love." I step out of the shower and grab the towel.

"I'm glad." She whispers and stands up to give me a cuddle. I hold her to me lovingly and place my lips to the top of her head.

"We're going on holiday later. I've already asked your mum she says it's fine." I say and her eyes light up. I get back into my room and get ready for my graduation. Sachiko has been worrying about this day for months. It is the last day she can see Yumi in school and all of us knew how she feels about that. Yumi is going to be torn to pieces but Sei had a plan. I grab two paracetamol and throw them down my neck before grabbing Yoshino and dragging her to the car. I don't feel like breakfast this morning.

"Rei...!" I hear Sei shout me and I turn to see her walking towards me with Kanata. Their grins match mine and I would have hugged Sei but Yumi jumped into her arms. Kanata wrapped her arms around me and kissed me on the cheek.

"Can we talk?" She asks and I smile at her with a blush on my face.

"Of course, but can you wait until after I've graduated?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"I don't think so." She says and her voice becomes low.

"I've wanted to kiss you since I first met you... and if I don't then I feel like I'm going to die." She whispers against my ear and I turn redder than I had been before.

"After the ceremony." I whisper back and she rolls her eyes at me before nodding.

"Fine but if I jump on you when you're giving your speech it isn't my fault." She says out loud with a wave of the hand as she walks back to where Sei is stood holding onto Yumi and trying to keep her emotions in tact. I feel somebody pulling on my gown and I turn to see Yoshino holding onto my sleeve with Shimako and Noriko at her side.

"Who is that woman?" Yoshino asks me and I explain to her who she is. I get dodgy looks off of all three of them before I turn to see Sachiko giving me an equally weird look.

"So if I get this right... You've turned into a player and you're seeing different women every weekend but you really want her?" Yoshino asks and I nod simply at her with a shrug attached to it. I don't know what I want Kanata for to be truthful. She's a great woman and I like her a lot and I'm attracted to her body; but it doesn't mean that I know what I want from her. I know that I don't love her.

"The secret life, of a rose." Sei says as she snakes her arms around my waist. I lean back against her and she kisses my cheek. They all look shocked at that. I guess I was never that close with Sei when she went to Lillian. It wasn't that we weren't close it's just that nobody else saw how close we were. Now they are seeing it and the looks on their faces tell me that they aren't sure what to think about it.

"Since when did you two hug like that?" Sachiko asks and I gawp at her. Since when is she so upfront and impolite?

"Since she all but moves in with me almost every weekend." Sei answers and I catch Kanata's look as she talks to Yumi. I figured they would know each other seeing as Sei was always there for Yumi. They seem to be getting on well, but the look in Kanata's eyes says that she wants to be doing something else.

"Have you told them what's going on yet?" Sei asks me as I turn my head to look at her instead of Kanata.

"Only Yoshi... The others are still clueless."

"Great, it means I get to tell them." She grins.

"Shimako, Noriko, Yumi... We're going on holiday as soon as Rei and Sachiko graduate. Your parents have given us their permission already so don't look so worried. Sachiko... Your parents have no idea that you're coming with us but who cares about them?"

"I beg your pardon? You can't do that. My mother and Suguru are coming to see me graduate you won't get away with taking me away." She says and Sei scoffs.

"Put it this way... Are you going to admit to Yumi how you feel or are you going to deny everything?" Sei asks and Sachiko pails a little. Yumi looks at Sachiko with a pleading gaze but Sachiko just shakes her head.

"I don't see how that has anything to do with you Sei."

"Well it doesn't have anything to do with me; but there is no point in you coming with us if you are going to continue lying to yourself and little Yumi-Chan. Plus; if you do admit it to her." Sei's voice becomes low and serious as her eyes become a little darker. She turns to make sure that Yumi can't hear her.

"You had better not go ahead and marry Suguru because I will hunt you down and kill you if you hurt her like that."

"This is just another one of your stupid schemes that is more than just a little immature Sei; and threatening me won't get you your own way either." Sachiko says with eyes as equally dark as Sei's. I just stand there leaning back in Sei's arms but trying to stay out of the little argument. I must admit that the way Sei is wording her sentences could be a little bit more compassionate, but I guess that's just Sei's way. I turn around and whisper in her ear that she should play the heart card and she nods at me as she steps towards Sachiko and takes her hand. She leads them off away from the group and I notice the look in Sei's eyes. It must be killing her to give Yumi up like this. I guess this is what they mean about loving someone so much that you'll do anything to keep them happy. Sei's giving up her own happiness so that Yumi and Sachiko can have their's. If the others could see that then they would say that she was more mature than they gave her credit for. I turn back to the others and see Lily-Chan and Aurora-Chan looking at their Onee-Sama's. Why Yoshino had picked someone as quiet as Aurora-Chan to be her petite soeur I'll never know, but they do get on well, and Lily-Chan is perfect for Yumi-Chan.

"Kids..." I say in a way that I know irritates them and they turn to look at me.

"Your parents say that you are allowed to come as well, so long as you promise not to smoke, drink alcoholic beverages, or hire out any hookers." I say to them and their jaws drop in disgust. Maybe I shouldn't be so forward with the little ones.

"That was a joke so please don't keel over." I say as I turn away from them and catch the killer glare that Yoshino is giving me. She always was very protective over Aurora-Chan. They remind me of how we used to be; only this time Yoshino is doing the protecting instead of me. I blow her a kiss and she scowls at me as the little ones giggle. They probably haven't ever seen me like this. I know that I am always the perfect delicate lady in school because that's what's preferred, but this is my last day, and I couldn't give a crap what they all think of me now. I turn to Kanata and smile as I catch her looking at me rear. She actually blushes and I chuckle at how cute she looks. I don't understand why I need to kiss her so badly, but she looks as if she's asking herself the same questions so what does it matter? She moves to stand at my side so that I know for sure that she's there and her hand brushes against mine. I can't help it; I chew my lip and look at the floor with pink cheeks and Yoshino grumbles something about me being immature. I don't care though. Her words don't mean anything to me right now, because I'm too busy trying to squelch the need I have to take Kanata in my arms, and kiss her. If I don't kiss her soon then I'm going to pass out or something as equally ridiculous. I look to my side and see her looking at me, but then so is everyone else. I feel like a clown; standing here for everyone's amusement.

"You so need to get a room." Yoshino grumbles and I grin.

"That's the best idea you've had all day Yoshi-Chan." I say as I ruffle her hair. I grab Kanata's wrist and drag her towards the rose mansion.

"Where are you going?" Yoshino shouts after us.

"Keep you nose out and cover for me." If the nuns see me running I'm screwed but I don't care. There is one last thing that I need to do before I leave this school, and that's defile the one room that felt more like a prison than the other ones. Even if I did make some of the best friends I have there, I hate the room more than anything else.

"Are you wearing your uniform under that black graduation gown?" Kanata asks and I laugh.

"Sorry but that would be a no. I might put it on some other time for you." I smile back at her and she blushes again. How on earth I managed to get a twenty year old to fancy me... I will honestly never know the answer. It has to be one of the funniest things I've ever heard, and I'm sure my parents would keel over and die if they knew. Their 16 year old daughter, a rose, a real life lady... making out with a 20 year old that went to public school? The thought makes me chuckle and Kanata gives me a confused look as we enter the rose mansion and run up the stairs to the meeting room.

"Are you really sure about this Rei. I don't want to rush you into anything." She says with wide eyes and I just laugh a little as I pull her into my arms and kiss her on the lips.

**Sei's POV**

**Graduation day**

"Hurry up Kanata." I shout as I chuck the camping equipment and our bags into the luggage compartment of the mini bus. I'm actually really excited about going on this road trip with the roses and Kanata. I can't wait to see Youko and good old Deko chin again. I run back up the stairs to my apartment and see Kanata chucking clothes around and growling at random things.

"What are you doing?" I ask her.

"I don't know what to wear." She says and I roll my eyes. The woman is unbelievable. She has been planning for the last two months what to take in her bags. If she had two brain cells to rub together she would be dangerous.

"Kanata for crying out loud we are going to be late. You know that you look good in anything so just chuck something on." I say and she takes in a deep breath as she shakes a fist at me and grabs a pair of tight jeans that hug her butt like a second skin and a top that shows off so much of her cleavage if she bends down to low she be flashing the whole world. Still she looks drop dead gorgeous with her make-up and her hair finished. I kiss her on the lips and pull her towards the door. I lock up after going off the checklist and making sure we have everything we need.

"Money... Clothes... Camping stuff... Bank cards... Snacks... Petrol money...?"

"Shut up already will you, you're boring me." Kanata says with a chuckle.

"I have everything on your list and something that you forgot." She opens her handbag and I wish that I had kept my nose out of it.

"You can't take that with you." I say and she pulls a face at me.

"Why on earth not?" She asks as if it is the most natural thing in the world for her to take along with her.

"Why do you need it? I'm going and Rei makes those things obsolete. What happens if one of the kids accidentally finds it? You're going to damage their fragile minds." I say and she shakes her head at me.

"I know what you catholic girls are like Sei. In fact I bet there are only you and Rei in that entire school that don't own one."

"I beg your pardon? You obviously haven't met my petite soeur and do you not remember Yumi?"

"Yeah I bet Yumi-Chan has a right collection." She says and waves her hand back at me as she walks down the stairs. I just stand there staring after her as if she has slapped me around the face with a cold, stale, wet fish. How can she think of Yumi-Chan with something so vulgar? No!!! I need to get it out of my head.

"Kanata you're evil." I growl as I lock up the door and run after her.

"Says you. You got Rei thinking that you're in love with Yumi when you're not. You really need to clarify that with her." She says to me as we jump into the van.

"I didn't mean for it to sound like I'm in love with Yumi okay? I'm fond of Yumi and I wouldn't have minded being with her... if she was a little older... It doesn't mean that I love her."

"I'm going to make my move on Rei today." She says and my heart sinks. She's going to take Rei from me? Bastard...! I can't give up on Rei like that can I? Not since we've been sleeping with each other when drunk. Then again it is only when we're drunk. We don't even make out when she's sober. We hug and kiss each other on the cheek but that's the same as it has always been.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" She asks me and I jump out of my skin.

"What...? Oh... Erm yeah, go for it." I say and give her a smile that I don't feel. She can't tell that's it's fake. Only the Yamayurikai can tell when I'm faking it.

Yumi pounces on me as soon as she sees me which is fun. I miss her being childish with me. As soon as she realises what she is doing though she pulls away and straightens out her uniform as she clears her throat and gives me a bow.

"You're a duffus Yumi get here." I hold my arms out and she hugs me again.

"I missed you." She says and I chuckle at her.

"You know where I live Yumi, and you have my number."

"I know but people have been saying things about you and Rei and some say that there is something going on with us." She says in a low voice as she steps away from me. She isn't blushing like I thought she would be. I guess she grew up.

"I know that it isn't true but I figure it's best not to add fuel to that fire." She says and I nod.

"I have a surprise for you." I say and kiss her on the cheek before leaving her and walking to Rei. I slip my arms around her and she leans back against me. I love it when she leans back in my hold. The others are looking at us as if we have just made all those rumours fact, but I don't care. From my point of view they are fact, so what would I care if a few busy bodies get to know that I am giving it to the yellow rose? I pull away from her and take Sachiko off to the side so that nobody can hear us.

"Listen Sachiko I didn't mean it to sound so harsh." I say about telling her that I'd murder her if she hurts Yumi-Chan.

"It's just Yumi is very precious to me, and I don't want her little heart breaking." I say and she frowns at me.

"Do you think that I want to hurt her Sei-Sama? I was more than willing to live out my life with Suguru before I met Yumi, but now I'd do anything to get out of it. It doesn't mean that I'm willing to act like a commoner though."

"So what are you going to do? We really want you to come with us, and no _really_ isn't an option. You and Yumi are good together and you know it. Tell her that you love her and come with us. Jeez you can move in with me if your family disowns you. It isn't as if you don't have support from the people that should really matter to you." I say and she smiles at me.

"It's nice to see this part of you Sei-Sama. What am I going to do for money if my family disowns me though?" She asks and I roll my eyes at her.

"Let's see... The same thing that everyone else does? Get a job." I chuckle at her and she nods.

"Will you come with me please?" She asks me but I'm a little distracted by Rei running past us with Kanata in hand. My heart breaks a little at the sight and I look down at the floor.

"Why do you look so upset Sei-Sama?" She asks me and I look up at her.

"It's nothing Sa-Chan don't worry about it. I think, after all of this advice I've been giving you, I need to take some of it myself and tell the one I love how I feel." I whisper and her eyes widen a little.

"You're in love?" She asks and I smile at her.

"Forget about it hey Sa-Chan. Come on let's go confront your mother and the puff cake." I say and she nods her head at me. I can see her eyes working over me as she tries to figure out who I'm talking about. I can't tell Rei that I love her. That would hurt Kanata and Yoshino and to be honest I don't think that Rei loves me. It would be a one way thing just like it always has been with me.

"Mother...?" Sachiko says and her mother turns to look at her with proud eyes. How long are those eyes going to stay proud though? Suguru turns to us and steps towards Sachiko as if he is going to hug her. He's such a smarmy slime ball. He thinks he has charisma and _I_ think he has a stick up his ass. Then again he would probably enjoy that the big fudge packer. I am not homophobic towards gay men; I just can't stand Suguru. In fact I hate the very sight of him.

"Can we talk please?" Sachiko asks her mother who starts to look a little worried. Her mother's eyes trail over me and her smile fades. _Oh please don't think that it's me your daughter is leaving Suguru for. My life is complicated enough; I don't need the Ogasawara hit men after me._

"Please don't look at Sei-Sama like that mother, she is just here as my friend. I wanted to tell you that I can't marry Suguru. I actually refuse to marry him." Sachiko says and I stare at her with amazed eyes. She looks so strong and she has that self empowered red rose vibe going on.

"You refuse? What makes you think it is that simple?" Mrs Ogasawara asks and Sachiko smiles.

"Simply put mother. It's because Suguru and I will never have children." Sachiko says and her mother's eyes become little slits.

"I am not attracted to men and he actually is attracted to men. I am in love with a woman and I refuse to hurt her or myself by living a lie." Sachiko says and I start to smile at the gone out look on Suguru's face. _Ha take that you smarmy little worm. You just became Ogasawara chowder._ I think to myself about the batty boy.

"I see." Mrs Ogasawara says slowly as she looks me over again.

"And I presume you think that this is a laughing matter? Do you believe that you can take care of my daughter?" She asks me and my face falls.

"I beg your pardon? You have it all wrong Mrs Ogasawara." I give her a low bow and she eyes me suspiciously.

"I'm not the one that Sa-Chan loves. I'm just her friend. As for taking care of her... If the need arose then I probably could because a rose never turns a back on her sisters." I say and the woman's eyes soften. Suguru opens his mouth to say something snide but he's cut off by Sachiko's mother.

"Don't you say a word, you money grabbing slime. Do you think it is the manly thing to do...? Marrying my daughter, even though it would make her unhappy? You would have let it happen, just to get you hands on the money. It wouldn't have mattered to you, what with your ability to sleep with as many people as you want on your trips away. You bring shame upon yourself." Sachiko's mother barks at him. It's a good job that there aren't any people around to hear her. Suguru squirms under the scrutiny of Mrs Ogasawara's eyes.

"Sachiko... I will have to talk with your father about this. He won't be happy and I think that could easily be an understatement, but no daughter of mine will live a life of unhappiness. Go with your friends and try to keep your head down for a while." Her mother takes out her purse and passes Sachiko a bank card.

"That will keep you going for as long as you want."

"Mother...?" Sachiko looks as stunned as I've ever seen her. _Please don't start crying Sa-Chan... I hate it when women cry._ I think as Mrs Ogasawara takes a hold of her daughter and hugs her.

"I probably don't tell you this enough but I love you. I won't see you done wrong by. We will stay for the ceremony but then we have to go. I'll get James to run the car home and collect up your clothes for you. I suppose you'll be staying with your friend?"

"We're going on a road trip, but after that she can stay with me for as long as she needs to." I say and Sachiko smiles at me.

"She won't need to. I will get you a flat sorted out by the time you get home." Her mother says to her. Crap... well that's put me out. I need a new flat mate seeing as Kanata is going home after the holidays. Maybe I should ask Rei... _Are you fucking stupid woman? If Rei moves in you'll ache everytime she's with someone who isn't you._ I think to myself.

"You look upset." Sachiko's mother says and I pull my fallen face back together.

"I apologise, I seem to have something else on my mind."

"If it's causing you to pull faces as pained as that, then you need to get it sorted." She says and I nod at her.

"I should get back to the others. Do you mind if I leave you here?" I ask Sachiko and she shakes her head. I smile and bow before getting back to the others. Yoshino is having a rant about Rei and I catch her calling her cousin a word that rips me apart.

"Hey...!" I growl at her and everyone looks at me in shock.

"You need to have a word with yourself, because you have no idea what you have put her through these past few months. The woman is trying to find herself, and if I hear you calling her something so disgusting ever again, I will not be responsible for my actions. Grow up and be thankful of what you _do_ have." I say and Yoshino backs off a bit. She really hit a nerve right then and I jumped to Rei's defence much to the surprise of everyone else. Shimako steps to my side and takes my hand.

"Oneesama...?" She says and my expression softens as I turn to look at her.

"Yoshino has every right to be upset."

"No she doesn't. The amount of times Rei has come to my house in tatters, because Yoshino has said something hurtful to her. I'm surprised she has put up with it at all. She has no right because, no matter how nasty she is, Rei always goes back and makes up with her as if it was her fault. She needs to get her act together and start acting like a rose." I say and Yoshino looks like I have just slapped her. Maybe I should slap her and then she'll know how Rei felt when she slapped her the other week. I saw the handprint with my own eyes. I'm surprised that she managed to keep her mind on her studies with such a monster pestering her.

"Do you know where she is right now?" Noriko asks me and I nod.

"Of course I know where she is. What that has to do with anyone but Rei and Kanata is what I want to know. It doesn't have anything to do with you lot so keep your nebs out.

"Sei-Sama...? What were you talking to Sachiko for?" Yumi asks me and my mood brightens immensely.

"She has given me her permission to elope with you." I say and Yumi's face falls. I'm not that bad am I?

"I'm kidding with you. It's a surprise. It's also up to Sachiko to tell you." I say and Yumi nods.

"It's up to me to tell her what?" Sachiko asks from behind me.

"What we were talking about." I say and she nods.

"May I borrow the keys to the mini bus?" She must have seen us pull over in the large vehicle. The Chinensis always did have keen eyes. I take out the keys and pass them to her. She walks past Yumi and grabs her hand on the way so that she can pull her along.

"I suppose you know what's going on there as well?" Little Lily-Chan asks me in a quiet voice and I grin at her.

"Yup." I say and leave it at that. Rei and Kanata still aren't back by the time the ceremony starts so I walk up to the head nun as cockily as ever.

"Sei-Chan...?" The woman gives me a surprised smile and I give her a cheeky grin in return.

"Gokigenyou... I just came up here to inform you that Rei-Chan can't make it. She isn't very well it seems, so she won't be able to make her speech. I apologise on her behalf." I say and she looks worried as she thanks me. Another nun steps up to her side and my insides rock. Since when did the school employ hot nuns?

"I have Rei..." I cut out her words from my mind as I keep my eyes off of her. I have had more than enough nuns in my life. The head nun catches my attention and passes me a rolled up piece of paper that I guess is Rei's certificate. Well isn't this exciting. I hated my own ceremony; at least Rei has a reason to miss hers. I wish that I could be that reason. I wish she had been my reason. I thank the nuns and take my seat next to Shimako who is videoing the entire thing for her little video diary. I had explained to her what was happening a few days ago because it is actually really hard for me to keep things from her. She knows all about how I feel about Rei too. She promised not to say anything and I trust her so it's all good.

"How many tapes did you bring?" I ask her quietly so as not to get my voice on the recording and she smiles at me.

"Enough to capture the whole day and I can always buy more if I need them. You look more bored this year than you did last year." She says to me ask she turns the camera towards me. I stick my tongue out at her and she smiles.

"And today folks, we are watching one of the rarest forms of sloth, in her natural habitat. This sloth; is called a Sei, and it feels most at home surrounded by Catholic school girls." She puts on a soft voice as if she is a nature commentator. I laugh at her and she giggles lightly at her own antics. I miss her sense of humour. It's almost as bizarre as my own.

"You're a fruit and nut cake Shi-Chan." I use the little pet name I made up for her and she smiles warmly at me.

"Thank you Oneesama, I appreciate it." She says in her delicate innocent tone. She scans the camera over the others and they all pull funny faces at her except Sachiko and Aurora-Chan. At least they are keeping me more entertained than I was last year. Last year I was stuck with my memories of Eriko to entertain me. How bored did I need to be? And poor Youko was staring at me as if she was regretting something. I should have turned around and said: Sorry gorgeous you aren't my type. Instead I pussy footed around her because I didn't want to hurt her feelings. She is a really good friend and I wouldn't want to see her in pain. I can use the fact that she has a thing for me against her in so many ways though. If I ever want anything from her all I have to do is flirt with her. I know that it's wrong of me so don't bother preaching at me. It might be wrong, but it gets results and it's funny to see the look on her face. Everything quietens down as the ceremony begins and I start to decay. So bored... Oh so bored... Please somebody save me from myself...

"Hey Shimako..." I whisper in her ear and she blushes as I trail a fingertip down her leg.

"You're being inappropriate." She whispers back at me and I sigh. Her back stiffens and she shivers. I should have maybe removed my mouth from near her ear before I sighed. I move and see Noriko giving me the dead eye treatment.

"I'm bored." I whisper to Shimako and she passes me the camera.

"Entertain yourself then." She whispers back and I smile as I start to torment the other girls just to get their reactions on camera. I leave Yoshino alone which means that I have to leave Aurora-Chan alone as well, because I don't want Yoshino getting jealous, or Aurora-Chan keeling over. The others are funny though.

"Finally it's over." I say and get to my feet.

"You didn't have to come along Sei-Sama." Shimako says to me and I turn around to aim the camera at her.

"I know, but I couldn't miss the chance of seeing my little Shi-Chan. How about giving your Oneesama a kiss?" I ask and she remains totally calm as she says no to me. Noriko looks as if she's about had enough of my antics. I grumble that they're no fun and turn to Lily-Chan. She reminds me of Yumi in a way; just a more hyperactive version of her. She couldn't stop fiddling the whole way through the ceremony which amused me a little. Yumi had told her to sit still more than once so I had taken over and started to joke with the youngest red rose. It kept me alive.

"Do you want a kiss Lily-Chan?" I ask and she attaches herself to Yumi-Chan.

"Oh, you lot aren't any fun at all anymore. Not even Yumi squeaks at me now." I grumble and they chuckle at me.

"We grew up Sei." Yumi says and I pretend to sulk with her.

"Either that or we simply got used to your weirdness." Sachiko smiles at me and I shrug.

"No you just all became really boring that's it." I smile as I lead them out for their photos to be taken.

**Let the fun commence. Actually I don't know if it's fun or not. You have to tell me. That means R&R people. Thank you**


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own marmite... wait there... I do own marmite I don't own marimite... that's better. R&R**

****

**Rei's POV**

**Graduation day continued.**

So I missed my graduation. Yeah I feel like a proper little rebel now. Whilst they were busy calling out my name... so was Kanata. Now I'm sat in the driver's seat revving the engine because I'm getting impatient and I want to take Kanata away again. The Rose's parents had helped me get their bags into the minibus luggage compartment when I got to it. They had all been in on the surprise which is quite funny. I turn the engine off again and look at her. I take in her dark long locks of hair that remind me a bit of Sachiko and her pail eyes that remind me a bit of Sei, the rest of her doesn't remind me of anyone. Her shape is the most beautiful hourglass figure I have ever seen and her bosom is even more addictive to gaze at than Youko's. What am I saying... her entire body is more addictive than Youko's. I think that I might have had a little crush on Youko at some point for me to be comparing the two women.

"What's on your mind?" She asks me as she twirls a lock of her hair around her index finger. It has to be one of the most adorable things I've ever seen.

"You." I say simply and the smile she gives me warms up my blood.

"All good things I hope." She continues to smile and I grin with a nod.

"Of course." I say and finally drag my eyes away from her. I look down the lane towards the school and see my friends stood at the statue of Mary. I had totally forgotten about the photos and my blood runs cold at the thought of Yoshino's temper if I managed to screw up like that.

"Shit." I swear and grab the keys out of the ignition.

"What's going on?" Kanata asks me and I give her a queasy smile.

"I'm going to get fried if I don't get to Yoshino pronto. Come on." I say as I jump out of the mini bus. She does the same and I lock it up before walking to where my friends are stood. They all give me knowing looks and I can see Yoshino is fuming with me. I have some apologising to do and I know it as much as the others.

"Come on Aurora-Chan it's family photo time." I take Aurora's hand and pull her in front of the statue with Yoshino who looks just about ready to explode. I hope she doesn't slap me. The photo is taken and I ask Aurora to go stand with the others so I can have a photo with just Yoshino. I take my cousin in my arms and hold her to me as I kiss the top of her head.

"You're the best little sister I could have ever asked for, and I just wish that you were my real little sister." I whisper in her ear and she flings her arms around me. She lifts her head and I see into her beautiful eyes.

"My little angel." I whisper so that nobody else can hear me but her. Her eyes light up and I smile. Yes she's my little angel, my Yoshino, mine to protect and do right by.

"Please don't hate me for what I've become." I ask of her and she gives me a weak smile.

"I could never hate you Rei. You're my knight." She whispers and I pull her into the biggest hug ever. She giggles at me and I laugh at her. I don't know why but my eyes are filling with tears. I'm not going to miss this place but I'm going to miss walking Yoshino to school every morning. I'm going to miss having her walking at my side or a little bit in front of me, but never far enough away for me to loose sight of her. I pull away from her and hide my eyes from them all as I walk back to the van.

"Rei...?" Kanata asks and I just wave a hand at her.

"I need some space." I say as I walk past her. I get past the gates and the tears start to fall as I lean against the mini bus. Why does it hurt this much? It isn't like I'll never see her again, I'll be next door for crying out loud. It isn't the thought of never seeing her again because I know that I will... It's the thought of never having any of those sweet moments that we had in Lillian. Walking around hand in hand and laughing together... Those pansy moments that look false when anyone else does it. When everyone else was doing just that I saw them as having an ulterior motive, and most of them did, but what I had with Yoshino always was and always will be innocent. Is that what I'm going to miss; my innocence? I wipe my eyes and turn around just to see Sei stood there watching me. Now I feel like a fool, but then she does the weirdest thing. She smiles as she wraps her arms around me and holds the back of my head so I'm leaning on her with my head on her shoulder.

"I'm not Eriko but I'm allowed to give you support when you need it right?" She asks in a soft tone.

"Of course, although I really wasn't expecting it. I wonder what Eriko will think of this when we go get her." I ponder and Sei gives a light chuckle. She's such a good friend to me. What did I do to deserve her kindness?

"She's going to think the worlds turned on its ass. Hmm Eriko's ass." She thinks out loud and I pull away from her laughing. She really is unbelievable sometimes.

"Don't tell me you fancy Eriko." I say and she shakes her head at me.

"I don't fancy any of them to be honest. Not Eriko or Youko." She says and I raise an eyebrow at her.

"Don't look at me like that Rei it's unbecoming. I don't fancy Youko but she's there if I need someone." She grins and I shake my head at her.

"She has real feelings for you though, so isn't it wrong to give her hope where there is none to be had?" I ask and she nods.

"Probably." She shrugs at me and I role my eyes. Unbelievable is an understatement if there ever was one.

"The others will be coming soon." She says and I nod.

"Is Sachiko coming or not?" I ask and she smiles.

"She did one better. She outed herself and Suguru to her mother and there was nothing Suguru could do to deny it. Her mother told her to come with us until she gets a chance to talk to her dad about it, _so_ she can be with Yumi." She says with a smile but her eyes tell me that she's sad about it.

"And you're happy with that?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"Of course I am. I think we need to have a chat about the, me and Yumi thing" She says. What does she mean? Did I get the sad look wrong?

**Sei's POV**

**Road trip!**

Wahoo I got to hold her close to me again. I just wish that it wasn't because she had been crying about Yoshino... again! I swipe her floppy fringe away from her eyes so that I can see them, and I kiss her on the cheek. I very nearly kissed her on the lips. I can't go around doing that to her! I explain to her what I had tried to tell her about Yumi, and I and her eyes widen as she realises what I was on about. She looks a little guilty about something.

"What's up?" I ask and she shrugs.

"I may have told Yoshino that you are in love with Yumi." She says as she runs a hand through her hair. I laugh at how sorry she looks about it.

"Don't worry about it. It's my fault for not making it clearer. I just didn't want you thinking that I'm kind enough to give someone else happiness by giving up my own. Not even I'm that selfless." I lie to her for the first time and she sees right through it.

"Yeah right Sei. I know you better than that. You will always put other people's happiness before your own." She says and I smile sadly at her. If only she knew just how much of my own happiness I was giving up of my own, for her and Kanata. I'm okay so long as I can still be close as her friend, and as long as she keeps falling into my room when she's drunk. That makes her sound like I only want her for sex, and I really don't want her just for that. If I did then I wouldn't be this put out by her and Kanata.

"Hey erm..." I was going to ask her then what she and Kanata are all about but the words get lost in my throat and shut up.

"Sei... you've been a bit weird today. What's going on with you?" She asks me and I shrink further back into my head. I always do when people confront me. She slides a hand through my hair and I can't help but lean into the touch.

"Sorry I didn't mean to push." She says in a low voice. She's been so tender with me. I want to push up against her and kiss her slowly.

"It's okay honest. It's nothing that I can't handle." I say and she smiles.

"You know I don't like it when you worry about things Sei. I'm here if you want to talk about anything." She says and I pull her into me for a hug. I could have so easily kissed her on the lips. I know that I want to, more than anything else.

"Sei...?" She whispers and I don't make a move to do anything.

"Thank you." I whisper.

"I need to work this one out on my own. I'll tell you how it turns out sometime." I say and she chuckles at me. She tightens her hold on me and it takes me all of my will not to moan at the feel of her against me. How am I supposed to stay sane with her feeling so good? My hands slip to her hips as I pull away and smile into her eyes.

"I reckon I couldn't have a better best friend if I tried." I say and she blushes a little at me.

"You too. Come on." She pinches my butt before getting into the mini bus with a chuckle. I take in a deep breath as something inside me holds onto a little hope that there is something there. She has to feel something. It can't all be one way. I'm not the only one in these situations. I get onto the mini bus and into the drivers seat where I wait for everyone else to join us. I sit here fidgeting with the radio and realise quickly that the system is bum.

**R&R as always lil fwends**


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own marimite.**

****

**Rei's POV**

**Lillian Lesbian Squad**

"Will you two stop making out back there, I'm getting jealous." I hear Sei shout back to us from the driver's seat. We've been driving for 3 straight hours and the need had become a little bit over powering. I pull away from Kanata and smile whilst licking my lips.

"You could let one of the others drive and join us." I say and get a lot of weird looks from everyone except Sei and Kanata.

"Rei...!" Yoshino squeaks and I smile languidly as I slide a fingertip down Kanata's cheek.

"What... Don't tell me you all think it's _that_ bad?" I say and they all nod except Sei and Kanata who shake their heads in disagreement.

"Are you all lesbians?" Lily-Chan asks in such a small voice that I barely hear her. Sei is laughing so hard that I think she might just crash if she doesn't calm down.

"Yes Lily-Chan we are all lesbians. It sort of comes with the student council. I think it has something to do with the name." Sei struggles to get her giggles under control and I'm laughing now.

"With the name?" Aurora-Chan looks so confused it's sweet.

"Yama-_Yuri-_Kai." I pronounce it out for her and the youngest blush like there's no tomorrow. Even Yumi and Shimako look a little pink in the cheeks.

"We aren't all gay." Yoshino argues and I laugh at her.

"Yeah right... They might as well just name the Yamayurikai... Lillian's Lesbian squad." I laugh and Sei breaks harshly as she starts laughing uncontrollably. A car screeches past us beeping its horn as the driver shakes his fist but Sei is too busy holding her stomach with one arm and wiping her tears away with the other hand. Her reaction just serves to make me and Kanata laugh harder.

"I'm sure Eriko would love to know that you think she's gay." Yoshino growls at me and I stick my tongue out at her.

"Eriko isn't allowed to be a lesbian. I think I might have to hang myself if Deko chin ever starts loving ladies." Sei says as she calms down and turns back to look at us after putting her hazard lights on.

"I thought you'd never top yourself." I said smugly and she grins.

"There is no way back up once Eriko turns. It might as well be the apocalypse for the rest of our breed." She jokes and me and Kanata laugh at her. The others just sit there wondering what she is jabbering on about.

"So Eriko isn't a lesbian, but the rest of you are." Sei says and Yoshino shakes her head.

"I'm not gay."

"Says the one that's in love with her cousin." Yumi laughs at Yoshino's angry face and jumps over the seats to sit next to Sei so she doesn't get attacked. Lily-Chan squeaks as Yumi lands on her lap. It's a good job we rented out the mini bus thing; otherwise there wouldn't be enough room for all of us.

"Yumi-Sama." Lily-Chan whines at her Onee-Sama.

"You try sitting next to her." Yumi laughs and pats Lily-Chan's head.

"Right let's get this discussion over and done with so we can carry on driving without Sei trying to kill us as much. Yoshino is greedy, Eriko is straight, Youko is greedy and the rest of us are about as straight as a round about."

"What about Aurora-Chan and me?" Lily-Chan asks and we all look at them. They are both blushing at the attention.

"That would be Aurora-Chan and I." Yumi corrects her and the younger girl nods as Yumi pats her head.

"It depends, on how you see your relationship with your Onee-Samas." Sei says in answer to Lily-Chan's question and we all watch them as Aurora-Chan turns even redder and Lily-Chan pulls a face.

"She's my big sister." Lily-Chan says and Aurora-Chan stays quiet and faces the front of the van. If she gets any redder her ears are going to give off steam. Poor Yoshino doesn't look as if she knows what to make of the situation and as always she gets angry instead of thinking clearly.

"Damn it why did you have to bring this subject up?" She growls and looks straight at me as if it's my fault.

"So the girl has a crush on you, who cares Yoshi. There's no need to become irritated about it. Jeez you so need to learn how to deal with these things." I grumble at her.

"Rei's right, you're over reacting to it. She'll be over her crush before too long. Not many people can handle having a crush on such a hot headed, irritable, rose." Sachiko finally pipes up from where she's been laid on one of the seats since we set off. She really doesn't travel well and that goes double when Sei's the one that's driving.

"It's good to see you're still alive." Yoshino grits her teeth and turns away from us.

"Aww is little Yoshi-Chan sulking with us now?" I stick out my bottom lip and she turns around with her hand out flat. I don't think fast enough and the open hand comes to a stop with a stinging slap to my cheek.

"I hate you." She growls, I grit my teeth as I put my hand to my cheek and feel the heat. We sit here staring at each other and the anger that is bouncing between us is almost visible. Kanata gets up and walks down the isle to sit on Sei's lap whilst everyone else watches us as if they expect world war three to erupt.

"Well?" She goads me and I start to smile through my clenched teeth.

"Do you honestly think I'd get angry at you for being a silly child?" I say it as a growl and her eyes widen.

"Have a word with yourself would you because you're yanking on my chain and I really don't want to hit you." I look her over before going to the front of the mini bus.

"Lily-Chan, Aurora-Chan, Yumi-Chan; will you please move to the back of the bus so I can stick my head out of the window?" I ask and the three of them scatter. I sit down and wind down the window as I take out my cigarettes and light one.

"You smoke now?" Sachiko, Shimako and Yumi-Chan blurt out but I choose to ignore them as Kanata lies on the seat next to me with the back of her head rested on my thighs. Sei gets the bus moving again and everyone seems to slip into a depressing silence. Sei looks infuriated and she's clenching her teeth as if she is trying to keep her mouth shut. It's probably my fault. If Yoshino hadn't reacted that way then I wouldn't be angry with her. Why can't she just grow up? Kanata reaches up and takes the cigarette out of my hand before smoking it herself. She only gets to smoke a bit of it before Sei slides her hand up Kanata's leg to take it off of her. She sits there with one hand on the wheel and the other hanging out of the open window. She only pulls it in when she wants to take a drag off of the cigarette. She's going to end up with one arm red and the other as pail as it usually is.

"Okay, see, this is just weird." Noriko pipes up and we all turn to look at her.

"Sei-Sama, keep your eyes on the road." Yumi squeals and Sei does as she is told.

"Go on Noriko. What's weird?" I ask and she waves her hand at the three of us.

"Are you three all sleeping with each other?" She asks and my jaw drops.

"Noriko...!" Shimako would have barked it at her if she was less of a lady. Instead it comes out as a gentle warning.

"And there was me thinking that the students of Lillian were meant to be ladies. You lot are as bad as the students at the public school I used to go to." Kanata smiles down at me and I smile back at her.

"Some of us are ladies. Then some of us turn out like Rei, Yoshino and Noriko." Sachiko says from where she's laid on one of the seats.

"So are you all sleeping with each other?" Noriko persists with the matter.

"No." I say and Sei laughs at me. I shoot her a warning glance but she isn't looking at me so she doesn't see it.

"At least, not at the same time." She says and I stare out of the side window just to ignore the looks that the others were giving us. Even Sachiko has sat up to see what's going on.

"Sei-Sama have you and Rei been together?" Yumi asks and my face turns so red I think there _is_ steam coming out of my ears.

"A few times... Why do you want some too?" Sei asks and this time she catches the look I'm giving her.

"If looks could kill Rei I'd be dead and you'd be heading towards that wall at 50mph." She grins and wiggles her eyebrows at me. Why can't I stay angry at her? I turn my head to look at Yumi who looks a little bit distraught and give her a weak smile as I try to think of what to say to her.

"Alcohol is the evil spawn of Satan." I say to her and she now looks confused and disgusted.

"We were stupidly drunk and one thing lead to another." I say in a low voice.

"A few times." Sei says and I shoot her the look again.

"Why do you have to be so honest?" I ask her and she shrugs.

"I don't see the point in lying to people about something so trivial. Are you and Kanata a couple now?" She asks and I look down at Kanata. She shakes her head saying no and I shrug.

"What's the point in getting tied down?" I ask Sei and she nods with a grin.

"Good because I was in bed with her last night." She laughs and I laugh with her as Kanata blushes.

"You two have never been ladies." She says as she tries to cover her face and her embarrassment.

"We always knew that Sei was a pervert but I don't think any of us knew that you were a slut Rei." Yoshino says and my back straightens at her words. Where the fuck did that come from? Does she want to ruin our friendship so much that we can never get it back? I won't rise to it. I won't say anything back to her. I don't have to. So why is my mouth opening?

"Sei pull over." I say and she looks at me. She looks so pissed off I think she might explode.

"Pull over." I repeat it and she does as I say.

"Get out." I say to Yoshino and she stands up with an angry glair on her face. She gets out of the side door and I follow after her. I pace back and forth wondering, what I should say to her. I don't know why she is pushing me like this. We have had a good day. We even had a sickly sweet moment when we were getting our photos taken; so why the hell is she being this nasty to me? I turn to her and see that she is still looking just as angry with me.

"What...?" She asks and I sigh as I rub my sinuses. I'm getting a major headache from all of this stress.

"Why Yoshi...?" I ask her.

"Why are you being like this with me? What is it that is making you this horrid? None of my private life has anything to do with you and if it irritates you, you should ignore it. I don't want to fall out with you." I say and she remains just as angry. She doesn't talk to me. She just stands there glairing at me as if I'm in the wrong. She's the one that called me a slut.

"Talk to me Yoshi." I say and she turns to get back in the bus. I pin her where she is and hit my fist against the wall of the bus. It was so very nearly her face and I can't stand myself right now. I'd feel horrid if I'd actually hit her.

"Don't walk away from me damn it. We are going to talk about this and get to the truth of it because I'm sick of you turning on me like that." I growl at her and the fear in her eyes knocks me off guard. I don't want to scare her. I want her to talk to me. I want her to be honest with me. I look up to see the others looking down at us through the window with shocked looks on their faces but I don't care. The only thing on my mind is Yoshino and why she hates me.

"I don't understand you." She whispers and I look back down at her. Her beautiful eyes are sad and filled with tears that are yet to fall down her cheeks.

"You don't understand me? Yoshi... I'm the one that doesn't understand you. I've done nothing but be nice to you. You're the one that slapped me. You're the one that called me that disgusting name. I was only playing around earlier and you hit me for it." I say and she closes her eyes as she turns her head away from me.

"Talk to me. Please Yoshi..." I whisper as I touch her cheek.

"Why can't you see what you're doing to me Rei? You sleep with all of those strangers. You even sleep with Sei... Why aren't I good enough for you?" She whispers and my heart breaks in half as her tears fall. She's jealous? She promised me that she wouldn't get jealous. Is she really in love with me that much? My fist is still clenched against the metal of the bus and I only just start to realise that it's hurting. I take it away and unclench it to see that the skin has been cleaved up my knuckles. It's bleeding a little but I don't care because right now Yoshino's pain is hurting me more.

"I can't do that to you Yoshino." I whisper.

"Why not...? What is so repulsive about me that you can't love me?"

"I do love you but it isn't like that. You don't repulse me. You just have to know that I have been there all of your life, I have watched you grow up and get stronger and I can't take your innocence from you because you're my little angel." I whisper to her. Her chest shudders as she puts her hands to her face and squelches the sob that barely makes its way out of her. I pull her into my arms and she flings her arms around me as she cries against my chest. I can't stand her being like this. I don't want to cause her this much pain.

"All I can do is to make sure you don't see or hear about it, but will that make it any better for you?" I ask her and she shakes her head.

"Well then what do you want me to do Yoshi? I can't do what you want of me." I say. I can't love her like that, and I can't forget my emotions to make her happy because I'm not like Sei. She is the most important thing in the world to me but I can't forget my happiness for hers. I've always done that and I can't do it anymore.

"I want you to stay away from me." She says and pulls away from me. She walks to get into the van and I just stand there. I turn my back on the van and light another cigarette as I ache from the inside out. Why does it hurt like this? I'm attracted to Kanata to the point where it could get to love if we want it to. I like Sei to the extent that I actually like the drunken nights we spend together. So why is my heart aching like this at the prospect of Yoshino not wanting to be near me? She makes me so angry sometimes and other times she just makes me want to hug her for hours. She's my cousin though and I can't love her like that... can I? Not my cousin... or my petit soeur... What about my little angel? I sit down on the grass verge and cover my head with my left arm as I smoke my cigarette. Why am I in turmoil like this? I just want to be happy. If I can't be happy without Yoshino and making her happy won't do anything for me... What the hell am I meant to do? I see a pair of feet enter my vision but I don't look up. I know whose shoes they are and I can't face her. She's always been a real lady and I've just dragged my name down. I know who I want right now and the fact that I want her just chucks another load of questions into my head. I want my best friend to make it better?

"Rei... Why did you never come to me for advice? We're meant to be friends." Sachiko says as she sits down at my side.

"You wouldn't understand Sachiko." I say to her and she grumbles at me.

"I understand that you got sick of acting like a lady. I know you went to the extremes to get out of being just that." She says and I choke on a laugh.

"Would you like to know what I think?" She asks and I turn my head to look at her sophisticated face.

"You're denying what you feel for Yoshino. You think that you can't love her because she's your cousin." She says and I grumble again.

"And these things..." She takes my cigarette off of me takes a drag and then passes it back to me. I'm sure I hear Yumi squeak her name out but I don't care.

"Make your breath stink like an ashtray."

"I'm not hiding from my feelings about Yoshino. Maybe someone else, but not Yoshino." I whisper almost totally to myself. You're the perfect lady, you aren't meant to know about these things Sachiko." I say and she gives me a smile.

"I never wanted to be anything but an ordinary girl. I'd love to have gone to a public school." She says and I smile at her.

"It's amazing how little we actually know about each other." I say to her and she nods. Even her nod is sophisticated.

"I guess we just get caught up in our own things that we blank out the people near us. I think Sei is the only one that knows all of us, and I really hate to admit that. I owe her a lot even though I probably won't ever be able to pay her back." She says and I smile at her.

"I don't know what I'm doing Sachiko. I like the way my life is, and I was happy before Yoshino started hurting. I know deep down that I don't love her like that. I'm not hiding from any emotions at all when Yoshino is concerned. I just don't know how to make everyone happy."

"You can't make everyone happy because the stress will make you unhappy. Kanata says that you aren't a couple so why can't you just be with Yoshino as well?" She asks me and I give her a disbelieving look.

"That wouldn't be right of me to do Sachiko. If I get with Yoshi-Chan then I have to only be with Yoshi-Chan. She gets jealous and she wants a real relationship; like life long marriage type thing. I'm too young for that, she's too young for that. She has to live her life before she gets into something so... Oh I don't know. She's only fifteen Sachiko." My voice becomes a whisper.

"So's Yumi, but I'm willing to give up everything for her."

"I wouldn't. You don't know if it's going to last Sachiko. First loves don't work like that. Don't you wonder what it will be like to be with other women?"

"If I'm honest, before Yumi I didn't think about other women. The way we are together... I can be with her without needing to push it further. I mean I do want that but, I don't need it."

"Believe me, when you finally get around to it you will need it. Your relationship was always innocent. You've only just admitted to each other how you feel so it's bound to be a little weird for a time. Can you honestly see yourself not being with anyone else for the rest of your life? You're almost 17 and you have so many years in front of you. How can you be sure that you won't fall for somebody else?"

"I can't be sure, but right now she is the one that I want to be with."

"Right now I want to be with Kanata and Sei and any other woman that I take a fancy to. I don't want to be tied down and I honestly don't think that I can be anything but Yoshino's cousin. She's my innocent little Yoshi-Chan, I can't do that to her."

"You just have to trust that she knows what she wants." Sachiko says and I wonder if she is actually listening to what I'm saying to her. It doesn't matter if Yoshino knows what she wants. I don't know what I want and I can't give her that hope when I could end up breaking her heart worse than what it is right now. I get to my feet as I throw the cigarette away and hold my hand out to Sachiko.

"Come on I think Sei wanted to get to Youko's before it gets dark." I say and she slides her hand into mine. I'm surprised at how dainty her hand is in mine and how smooth it feels. Mine are a little rough because I'm always training at the dojo and doing chores. Ever Kanata's hands aren't this soft and she's a beautician. I think I hold her hand for a little bit too long and she starts to look edgy so I let her go and smile gently as I let her get into the mini bus first. I sit on my own at the back of the bus because everyone else is crowding at the middle and chatting away as if they hadn't heard anything. Yoshino is sat on her own looking out of the right window and seeing her makes me ache. I take out my mobile and text her... Please enjoy yourself little angel. I don't know what the future holds for us so please try to have fun for now.

I think that she will listen to me even if she hates me right now. I want to mean something more than just a first love... What am I talking about? I don't know what I want to mean to her, but if I do want to be something more to her in the future then... I just want her to enjoy herself whilst she's young. She shouldn't be tied down at her age. Sachiko has sat down at the front of the mini bus between Sei and Kanata and I think she's talking to Sei. I just keep getting amazed today. Sachiko and Sei had always had a bit of a strained relationship. I think it had started because Sachiko knows how Youko feels about the white rose; it carried on though because of Sei's advances on Yumi. I think Sachiko sees it as; she has no need to worry about it anymore. She hasn't had to fight for it, and even the solution to her wedding has been handed to her by the woman she thought she had to keep an eye on. I look to my side a little shocked when Aurora sits at my side and gives me a weak smile. The girl is so quiet that I think Shimako and Yoshino got the wrong Petite soeurs.

"Rei-Sama..." She whispers and I keep eye contact with her. If she wants to talk to me then I'll let her. I'm not one to dash what little confidence she has.

"How come you're able to get so many people to like you?" She asks and I smile.

"I let them see something that I'm not. I act like the worlds most confident self assured person when really I'm not."

"But shouldn't you let people see who you really are? I like who you really are." She whispers and I smile. She's so sweet it's cute and she keeps blushing as if she's embarrassed about talking.

"I have no need for the women to know who I am. I'm not interested in them for any more than a few hours, so why would they need to know me personally? I can't even remember half of their names." I admit and she nods.

"And Yoshino does know the real you?" She asks and I nod.

"She knows everything about me. She could probably identify every scar on my body to what caused it. She doesn't like who I am right now though."

"But she still loves you."

"I wish she didn't. It would make my life a lot easier. Do me a favour Aurora-Chan." I say and she nods her head. She doesn't even know what I'm going to ask her and she's so trusting.

"Don't get an idea in your head of idyllic first loves. They don't exist. First loves serve to tear your heart out and make you see the world clearly. Enjoy yourself Aurora-Chan."

"I thought Yoshino-Sama said that Sei was the depressing one." Is she having a joke at my expense? This girl is quite the misleading young charmer.

"I'm sorry but you can see how Yoshino is suffering right now and how it's making me hurt."

"I think that I will be happy to be fall in love. Mistakes are there to make a person grow stronger."

"Memories give me the strength I need to proceed." I whisper as I'm reminded of the quote. I don't even know where I'd heard it before. Maybe a song I've heard or one of my many books. I wonder if she is trying to teach me something.

"I thought that you loved her." I say and she blushes like a maniac.

"I... No I don't... She's my best friend and my Onee-Sama but that is all she will ever be. I admire her and look up to the strength she has. I'm only 14 Rei-Sama. I'm not old enough for anything more than that. When I am old enough I intend to enjoy myself until I do fall in love." She smiles and I grin at her.

"I should talk to you more often. You seem to have your head screwed on right." I say and she blushes again. It's so sweet. I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head before standing up. Okay then, I need a new wave of motivation. I'm going to let Yoshino have her own way and allow her to ignore me. I jump onto Kanata's lap and she huffs at me as I put my legs across Sachiko.

"Are you and your cousin sorted?" Kanata asks and I pull a face.

"No but it doesn't matter. As long as nobody makes a move on me when she's around then nobody has to worry about loosing a limb, or two." I smile at her.

"So why are you sat on me? I don't want to die." She says and I shake my head at her.

"Don't worry about it."

**Sei's POV**

**Love is the cause of hate**

I hate the girl. I well and truly hate her and I have never thought anything so harshly about one of my fellow roses; but Yoshino? I hate what she is doing to Rei, and the way Rei always lets her get away with it. How can Rei still want to be her friend after the way the young girl has treated her? She slaps her around and calls her disgusting names? She makes me sick. That isn't love and that will never be love. She wants to own Rei and get her to do as she says. If she loved Rei at all she would back off and let her live her own life. I hate her!

I look up slightly as Sachiko gets to her feet and Kanata follows her so that they can go sit with Yumi and swap stories about me. That should be interesting for them. I just hope that Kanata keeps it strictly PG13 for the kid's sake. I look across at Rei and I see that the hand print is still visible on her cheek. My anger boils up and I turn back to the windscreen so that she can't see it. I know that she knows how I feel though.

"What are you angry about Sei? It isn't you she just pulled to pieces." She whispers and I sink back into the seat. I turn to look at her. She's looking at her knuckles and the skin that has been pushed up them.

"It might has well have been." I whisper to myself as I avoid eye contact with her.

"Does anyone want a break to stretch their legs?" I shout back and most of them say yes. I pull off of the road and into a small service station before turning the engine off.

"Go on then. Make sure to use the toilets because I don't intend on stopping between here and Youko's." I say and they all get off of the bus. Rei goes to stand up but I pull her into my lap and hold onto her.

"You aren't going anywhere just yet." I say and she just leans into my hold as if it is all that she needs. I hope that it is all that she needs for now, because I'm not very good in situations like this.

"Why didn't you come outside when Yoshino came back in?" She asks me and I feel trapped. I force my words out of me though.

"Well... because I might have hurt Yoshino when I walked past her. You might think that I don't have a right to be angry but I hate the way she treats you. She talks about you as if you're worthless behind your back and then she slaps you and calls you ugly names and she expects us to believe that's love? I know love Rei. I know every inch of it and you don't treat people you love like that." I say and she turns to lean her head on my shoulder.

"I know Sei but what am I meant to do about it? I promised when I was really young that I would be there for her no matter what. I can't back out of that promise." She says and I admire her more than ever. That is why she puts up with it; because of a promise she made when she was young? How honourable does she need to be?

"I don't know what you should do to be honest. I just want you to be okay. If she carries on being like this Rei; I can't promise that I will be able to keep quiet. You might have an obligation to protect her, but you're my best friend, and I will defend you to no end." I whisper.

"Thank you." She says as she holds onto me. I almost told her that I love her. It would be so easy for it to just slip out. I don't want to complicate this anymore for her though so I bite my tongue and just content myself with holding her. It's amazing what the simple things will do for me. She wiggles a little and bites her lip with a blush on her cheeks and I grin like an idiot.

"What's up?" I ask and she blushes redder.

"I need the loo." She says and I laugh at her as I let her go. She kisses me on the cheek before running out of the mini bus. I put my hand to my cheek as my eyes waver shut and revel in the feeling of her lips. I keep the feeling inside me instead of pushing it away as I get off of the bus. I just step out of it when Sachiko grabs my arm and drags me around the back of the bus.

"Sa-Chan...?" I ask and she places a finger to my lips.

"I'm a Chinensis Sei, and I notice everything. I know who you are in love with, and there is only one thing I have to say to you about it." Sachiko looks angry and I'm just stood here in shock. If she tells me to back off from Rei I'm going to cry.

"Look after her Sei, because I don't think she can handle what Yoshino is doing to her on her own." She says and I slump back against the van.

"Who else knows?" I ask her and she smiles.

"Yumi, Shimako and myself are the only ones as far as I know. I'd be a bit more subtle about it if I were you, unless you want Youko seeing it." She advises me and I smile.

"How did you know?"

"You practically shouted it out with that glare of yours when Yoshino was bad mouthing her. Just look after her Sei." Is she pleading with me?

"You have my word. Now if you don't mind I need to use the facilities." I smile and she nods. I have to run now because my bladder is aching. I never was one for holding it in. Rei is just exciting the toilets when I run in.

"Watch it Sei." She laughs at my red expression.

"Sorry, I'm dying here." I shout back as I lock the cubicle door and plonk myself down.

**R&R**


	8. Chapter 8

**Marimite is not mine**

**Rei's POV**

**Youko's hot?**

"Sei, get away from my car." Youko growls as she finishes hugging and kissing everyone when we arrived.

"How the hell can you afford a sports car like this beast?"

"Daddy loves me. Now get away from it." Youko warns her.

"Youko...?" Sei slides up to her and we all know what's coming. We all know that Youko won't be able to say no to her as well. Sei touches her cheeks and Youko falters. Sei's fingertips slid down her neck to play with her collar bone.

"May I please take it for a spin?" She asks and Youko shakes her head. Sei moves her lips to Youko's ear and the woman's legs go weak. She pushes Sei away from her and gives her the car keys.

"Who's going with her?" Youko looks at us and we all look at her and then at each other. I don't mind Sei's driving in the bus or even in her beetle, but a sports car?

"Rock, paper, scissors?" I ask and everyone except Sachiko nods.

"I'm not even entering into this. My stomach hurts enough as it is." She says and we agree with her. Lily-Chan looses the game but she reacts as if she's won something. I don't think she realised we were playing to _not_ get in the car. She jumps into the low vehicle and I see Yumi-Chan clutching her rosary and saying a prayer for her petite soeur. Sei revs it up as Lily-Chan fastens her safety belt. I take in a deep breath and hold it as the wheels screech and the car vaults out of its parking spot and down the street.

"Oh dear lord, if she crashes my daddy isn't going to be happy."

"If she crashes I'm not going to be very happy, and neither is Lily-Chan's parents Youko. That's my petite soeur in that car with a crazy woman." Yumi squeaks out. We hear the screeching of wheels and the blaring sounds of horns been hit violently. We all tense up but we don't hear a crash. We all just stand here watching each others expressions, and hoping for Sei to return safely; preferably with everything in one piece. Kanata keeps going to take my hand but then thinks better of it and pulls away again. Is she really struggling that much with it? I smile at her before turning to Youko who has been giving me some weird looks since we got here. She looks from me to Yoshino and then back to me and the look becomes really confused. My eyes slip from her face "by accident" and I look over her body. She's changed quite a bit and the curves that had once entranced me now do something a lot more than just that. She still isn't as defined as Kanata, but she always did have the best figure on the student council. The way she's dressed should be banned for lawyers. How could any judge or jury concentrate with her looking like that? Even a puff would get sidetracked and probably ask her for fashion tips.

"What are you looking at Rei?" Youko asks me and I smile at her.

"Plenty of things." I reply and she raises an eyebrow at me. Well that's hot. I turn to Yoshino who is stood with her back to me as she talks to Noriko. They are chatting away and totally oblivious to the rest of us, so I take my chance, and pull Kanata into my arms. I kiss her solidly on the lips and hear her murmur against me as her hands find my waist. It only goes on for a few moments because Youko finds her voice and says my name in pure shock. I pull away before Yoshino turns around and I smile at the oldest Chinensis.

"What is going on with you?" She asks me and I look to Sachiko for help. She smiles and gives me a nod of the head as she hooks her arm through Youko's.

"I'll explain it all to you later Onee-Sama." She says to Youko who looks so lost. Sei pulls onto the street and handbrakes it into the perfect parking position. She jumps out of the driver's side after turning of the engine and grins at us all.

"I want one. It is the most amazingly, beautiful, sleek piece of automotive brilliance I have ever driven." She drivels on and Yumi rushes to the passenger side of the car. I join her because she looks as if she's having trouble getting Lily-Chan out of the vehicle. I look in and see the girl sat there, as white as a sheet, staring with blind eyes as she shakes uncontrollably.

"Lily-Chan?" I ask but she doesn't even turn her head. She looks traumatised and _that_ is an understatement.

"Please Sei-Sama... Please slow down... Please... I don't want to die... I'm too young... Watch out for the old lady." Her voice becomes louder with every word until she shouts the last bit. I look at Yumi at the same time that she looks at me and we give each other uneasy looks.

"It's okay Lily-Chan. It's over." I say softly as I lean into the car and lift her out. She almost takes my head of she wraps her arms around my neck so tight.

"Rei-sama...?" She asks as the colour slowly comes back to her face.

"Shh, it's okay little one I've got you." I say as I carry her to the bus. Yumi is walking ahead of us so she can get the door open for us. She looks worried about her little sister but it'll be okay. It isn't as if anyone died, although that's a total possibility with Sei's reckless driving. I place Lily-Chan down on one of the seats and she releases my neck before attaching herself to Yumi who says that she'll take care of her. She's grown up so much that it's hard to believe she was ever as emotional as she was at first. I get back to the others and smile at Youko.

"So is it okay for us all to crash at yours?" I ask her and she releases a breath of contempt as she nods at me.

"It's fine but I can't come with you. I'm going on my own road trip with two of my best friends from college." She says and we all eye her up.

"You can't do that. You don't have a choice in it. We'll kidnap you if we have to." Sei says with a grin and everyone thinks that she is joking but that has been our plan all along. If anyone said no then we would just lock them in the mini bus with us. Sei looks at me and I nod at her. We walk off to the side and put our heads together.

"I never thought that Youko would say no." She says and I smile.

"I think your hold on her must be wavering Sei. I don't fancy kidnapping her. She could sue us quite easily." I say and she laughs.

"Yeah, she even looks the part. That pencil skirt and white shirt combo makes me want to do things to her that would surely get me into trouble." She whispers and it's my turn to laugh.

"What are you chuckling at? I saw the way you were eyeing her up."

"Yeah, so she's hot. It isn't my fault though so there." I stick my tongue out at her and she snaps her teeth at me. I pull my tongue back in and we both start laughing at each other.

"Okay then..." She calms down slowly and takes in a deep breath.

"How about we wait to see these best friends of hers. If they're cute we'll kidnap them as well. If they're monsters then we'll be doing Youko a service."

"Hold up... What kind of service are you talking about?" I ask and she grins as she playfully punches my left arm.

"I think I'm a bad influence on you Rei." She says with a roll of the eyes.

"Yeah, I know, it's despicable. So are we going to check out the pubs later?"

"Someone has to drive tomorrow. I tell you what... You and I can get plastered and Kanata can drive tomorrow." She says and I nod in agreement. We go back to the others and Sei wraps her arms around me from behind as she leans her chin on my shoulder.

"We've decided that you really don't have a choice in the matter Youko. This is the charge of the rose brigade and you're an ex rose so it is your obligation to join us." I say and Sei chuckles against my neck.

"What...?" Youko gawps at me as if she's just about ready to slap me.

"If Sei likes the look of your best friends they may also come along and we will stop off wherever you want to for your sight seeing." I continue and she stays silent as she looks between the two of us. She turns to look at everyone else and finally speaks.

"Okay, where's Rei and why is there 2 Sei's stood there?" She asks the others and I laugh like an idiot with Sei who is doing the exact same. We somehow end up on the floor and we're no longer laughing at Youko but we've started laughing at each other's stupid antics. It takes them a while to calm us down and when they finally do, one look at each other sets us off again.

"What the...? Oh come on already I'll let you follow me." She walks to her car.

"I'm going with Youko." I say and get a look off of Sei.

"Why do you get to?" She asks and I grin.

"I want to see how she feels." I say and Youko turns to look at me.

"Rei-Chan...!" It's so long since somebody has put a chan on the end of my name that it catches me off guard.

"I meant the car Youko-Sama." I play her own honorific game and she raises that eyebrow at me again. Hot, hot, hot... _So_ hot. I blow her a kiss and get into the passenger's side. The leather feels so comfortable and the interior looks so expensive that I wonder... Just how much does her Daddy love her? Ewww no wait that sounds wrong... I did _not_ mean it like that. How do I even rephrase that? I wonder how much her daddy spent on the car... Does that sound better? Maybe a little bit. She gets in and shuts the door before looking at me. I give her the biggest cheekiest grin I own and she gives me a disapproving look.

"Where did Rei go?" She asks me in a low voice and I give her an honest smile.

"I'm still here Youko. I'm just enjoying life instead of worrying about everything."

"You've turned into Sei." She says and I shake my head.

"No I haven't and you know it. The things Sei has seen and the things Sei does... She is more mature than any of you give her credit for. I'm too level headed to be as caring and as soft as she is." I say and Youko turns her head away from me.

"So you're still the same old Rei...?" She asks me and I nod.

"Yeah of course I am... I've just found an extensive interest in women's bodies." I answer her honestly and she looks at me again.

"Eriko is going to have kittens." She says with a shake of the head. We both turn our heads around when the mini bus's horn blares out and Youko sets the car going. The way it runs is beautiful. The sound of the engine and the way it actually moves when she puts her foot down, it's all so smooth.

"This car is beautiful." I breath as I run my hand across the dash board.

"I hate it." She says and I'm more confused than I've ever been. How can she hate such a thing of beauty?

"It's daddy's way of telling me that I have no need to get an education because he will pay my way. I kind of wish Sei had crashed it."

"So you're saying you would like it if it had come out of money you had earned?" I ask and she nods.

"Okay then. If you'd said no then I'd have called you a nut case."

"So is that woman your girlfriend?"

"Who...? Kanata...? Nah, she's a good friend amongst other more intimate things but we aren't going out." I reply and she gives me a weird look. I'm sort of getting used to people being freaked out by me. She asks me about Yoshino and I tell her about what's going on in that department and then we get back onto Sei. She says we're closer than we used to be and I say:

"Much closer..." And she gives me that weird look before saying.

"Are you sleeping with Sei as well?"

"Amongst other women yes." And she looks confused.

"How did you manage to get to the heart of that woman when I never could?"

"Yeah right Youko. I'm not in her heart. She's my best friend and when we get drunk it sometimes leads to more fun pastimes. I don't love her and she doesn't love me as anything more than just best friends." I say to her and she remains silent.

"The reason she wont get close to you Youko is... She doesn't want you to get hurt the way she was. She just wants to have fun and you want something serious. You remind me of Yoshino." I grin and she gives me a sour look.

"You take things to heart too much Youko, relax would you. You're 18 live a little." I smile and pat her thigh before removing my hand and just enjoying the noise that the car is making.

**Sei's POV**

**Everyone knows except you**

"Hey are you okay?" Kanata asks me as she kneels down on the floor next to the driver's seat.­­­

"Yeah, why..?" I ask and she shrugs.

"You seem more than a little distracted." Even as she is saying the words I'm being distracted. I'm trying to listen to what Yoshino is saying to Yumi-Chan.

"Hey..." Kanata says and nudges my leg.

"Sorry." I say and she chuckles at me.

"I want you to take Rei out tonight. You both look like you need a night on the tiles." She says to me and my heart skips a beat.

"Aren't you coming with?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"Nah, I'll drive tomorrow instead so that you two can get as polluted as you want." She says and I smile as we pull up outside Youko's apartment. I turn my head and kiss her on the cheek. She just gives me a weird look. I guess I haven't kissed her that much in the past few days. The others jump off of the bus and go to join Youko and Rei. I slip a finger under Kanata's chin and kiss her on the lips.

"I'm sorry if I've been weird." I say and she shakes her head.

"I know what's going on. I didn't want to say anything when they're around but I know you're in love with Rei. I'm not in love with her so I think it's time for me to back off a bit." She says and I can feel the shock on my face.

"Don't look like that Sei. If I was in love with her, then I'd have asked her to go out with me the other day, instead of saying that we aren't a couple. It's fun being with her but that's all. Come on." She kisses my forehead before standing up and I follow her out of the bus before locking it up. Does everyone know how I feel about her? Everyone except Rei and the kids it seems. Oh well it doesn't matter. I don't care who knows. Until Rei figures out what she wants, there is nothing I can do. Noriko steps to my side and takes a hold of my hand with a sweet smile on her face. Does she know too? I'll tell you something for nothing. If somebody else says "I know how you feel," I'm going to bash my head against a brick wall.

"Sei-Sama... Will you maybe keep in touch with us more than you have been when we get back home?" She asks me and I'm stunned into silence. I wasn't expecting that at all. A grin creeps onto my face and I nod as I let go of her hand and wrap my arm over her shoulder.

"Sure I will kidda. In fact I was thinking that maybe we should get together once a week or something like that. Just us white roses. What do you think?" I ask her and her smile beams up at me. The kid is priceless.

"That would be really nice. I'll tell Shimako." She says and walks steadily to her Oneesama. I don't think I've ever seen her run. She's a proper little lady; just like Shimako.

"That was kind of you." I hear a voice from behind me and I turn to see Rei leant against the bus with a smile on her face. I smile back as I join her.

"I know. What am I turning into hay?" I ask and she chuckles softly at me.

"Kanata says that she'll drive tomorrow so we have her permission to go scouting women." I say and she shakes her head.

"I don't think that Youko will appreciate us bringing women back with us, do you?" She says. She doesn't seem bothered by that fact. I look down shocked because what I see in her eyes can only be a lie.

"It's a real pitty as well because I could really go for a bit of skirt tonight." She whispers to me as she pushes away from the bus and joins the others. What the fuck is going on with her? I don't know but my heart wants her to be falling for me. _I'm such a sap_. I push away from the bus and wrap my arms around Yumi. She actually squeaks at me for the first time in ages and I chuckle as I kiss the top of her head.

"Sei-Sama...!" She growls playfully at me and I smile as I let her go.

"It's time for me to get what I want it seems." I whisper and she looks at me with wide eyes.

"What about Yoshino?" She whispers so that nobody else can hear her but me.

"I know but I have to get my way at least once right? Just once?" I say and she smiles weakly at me.

"I hope this does go your way Sei-Sama. I really do." She whispers and I grin at her.

"Me too. Come on lets go irritate Sa-Chan." I say and her eyes light up.

**R&R**


	9. Chapter 9

**I don't own the characters from Marimite, I don't own any aspect of Marimite and I ran out of Marmite so I don't even own that.**

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**Rei's POV**

**Drunk again**

"_Shhhhhhhhhhhhh_ Rei..." Sei hisses at me as we tumble into the sitting room. Everyone else is probably asleep by now. All of them piled into Youko's and the spare room so we have the sitting room to ourselves. We fall over each other and start giggling at each other whilst trying to get each other to shut up. She somehow gets on top of me and covers my mouth with her hand.

"Yooooou're toooooo noisy. Hick Rei." She slurred the entire thing and even hiccups before saying my name. We're so slaughtered it's unbelievable. It's a good job Youko said she will drive in the morning, and Kanata agreed to drive in the afternoon because both Sei and I are going to be incapacitated in the morning. Ooh, incapacitated is such a big word for my alcohol laden brain. I take Sei's hand away from my mouth and grin stupidly at her.

"You're being loud as well." That's what I was meant to say but it came out as something like:

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhh already Sei and kiss me." Because I am _so_ romantic. Yeah right. Sei doesn't seem to mind it though and her lips find their way rather clumsily to mine. I push up to meet them and she giggles at me. She always giggles at me and I always end up giggling back as I struggle with her zip.

"Wanna hand?" She asks me as she pushes herself up on her arms and looks down at me. There's seriousness in her eyes now as I get her zip down and reach my hand down inside her jeans. Her mouth opens and she gasps as her forehead leans against mine.

"I think I can do this on my own but you can help if you want." I say and she smiles.

"I wouldn't want to interfere with a master at work." She breaths and groans again as she starts to move her hips. She says some of the most ridiculous things when she's drunk. She won't let me finish her off yet and I know it. I seem to forget these things when I'm sober, but it all runs like clockwork when I'm intoxicated. She pushes my hand away from her and I hear myself whimper even though I know what she's doing. How come she always knows exactly what she wants? I sit up to kiss her but instead she pulls my top off of me and then kisses me. I feel a little dizzy and I can't quite place myself but I don't care. I feel her fingers undoing my front fastening bra and reel slightly at the sensation. She's still kissing me when I push her open shirt down her arms and try to lift the other one over her head. We break away briefly to get rid of the hindrance and she almost pounces on me after ridding herself of her bra. I hear her moan and I groan at the same time as her at the feel of her nipples against mine. I can't stop myself I run my hands up her sides feeling the smooth flesh from the base of her back to her shoulders and she reacts just like she always does; by pushing her groin against mine and nipping my lip with her teeth.

"Sei..." I whisper as I push her jeans down as far as I can from where I am. We roll over and I yank her trousers totally off of her.

"If the others hear us we are so going to be in trouble." I say in little more than a breath. She just giggles at me and puts her fingers under the band of my jeans.

"Who cares? Get these off already would you." She practically orders me and I do as I'm told.

"Lets just hope Youko doesn't fancy a midnight snack." She chuckles as I kiss my way up her abdomen and feel the individual muscles twitch. I always forget she's ticklish; whether it's on purpose or not I'll never be able to figure out, but she doesn't mind it when she's drunk. Her hands are in my hair holding me to her breast.

* * *

"What the hell...!" Yumi shouts as Sei cries out. Her passion is spent as her body judders below me. She was a little louder than she usually is but I don't mind it. In fact I rather enjoy it but she woke up some of the others. The light goes on and we both look up to see Sachiko, Yumi, Youko and Aurora-Chan looking at us with shocked expression. Poor Aurora-Chan's nose is bleeding as she stumbles back into the room she came out of.

"Sei...! Rei...!" Youko blurts and Sei waves them off as she pulls me up for a kiss. I can't stop the giggle that erupts at the stupidity of the situation. Kanata comes to the door and starts to laugh at the looks on our friends faces.

"I think they want a bit of privacy." Kanata says as Sei rolls me over and slides down my body. I couldn't possibly care any less about them being in the room. I'm definitely not ashamed of my body or the way that Sei makes it react to her. They could stand there and watch for all I care. I place my hands behind my head and look at the 4 women as Sei starts to lick at my core. Yumi's eye is twitching as she looks right into my face and then turns her back on us and goes back into the room. Sachiko starts to smile as if she finds it funny. She turns a little away from us, has a glance back and then follows Yumi back into the room.

"Youko..?" Kanata asks and I look into Youko's red face.

"Let her stay we aren't fussed." Sei says into my core and I shudder at the sensation as my eyes flutter shut.

"Mmm..." I groan as my back arches. I think that Youko might be stuck to the spot or something because it doesn't seem as if she can move. I don't think I've ever seen her so lost.

"Whatever, I'm going back to bed. I'll keep Yoshino out for you."

"She won't wake up." I slur the words before bucking slightly and groaning when Sei laughs. Kanata goes back into the room and I totally ignore Youko to the extent of forgetting that she is stood there. I slide my hand down and run my fingers through Sei's floppy short blonde hair. I can't help but move my groin in the same motion as her tongue and my back is arched as I try to get the pressure in my groin to subside slightly. The heat is making my head spin more than it was originally and the texture of her tongue slipping against me is... Jesus what is she doing to me? I can feel my body begin to loose control and I bite my lip as the shudders run through me and the pressure seems to explode as my entire body heats up. Sei groans and starts to lick harder just so that she can make me cry out. She always does that to me and... and...

"Sei...!" I growl slightly as my body shudders to a stop and I'm left panting as she breaths heavily against my core. She starts laughing and a few moments later I'm laughing along with her as I prop myself up and look down at her. She looks all pink in the face as she licks her lips and I probably look the same. She takes in a deep breath as she gets to her knees and sits there looking over me. Our laughter subsides and Sei turns her head. I do the same and see Youko stood there. When did she...? Oh she was stood there the entire time. Had I really forgotten that badly? Her eyes look... Well they don't look sad like I thought they might if she was ever faced by this kind of situation. She looks a little amused to be honest and it's something I wasn't expecting.

"There was me thinking that I was the pervert." Sei grins and pounces on me again. She holds me in an intimate cuddle and looks at Youko with a pout.

"Dirty old man." She says to Youko who raises that damned eyebrow. A shudder runs through me and Sei gives me a weird look.

"I didn't do anything." She says and I smile at her.

"You didn't have to." I say to her and she smiles back.

"I didn't know I was that good." She says and I laugh.

"You aren't, her eyebrow is." I say and she laughs this time. Youko grumbles something and I look at her.

"What's up Youko-Sama?" I purr at her and she blushes back at me.

"When did you become so...?" She shakes her head not knowing how to continue the sentence. Sei gets off of me and gets to her feet. She wobbles slightly but manages to stay up as she tries to get dressed. When she does she stumbles past Youko but the oldest Chinensis stops her.

"There's no need for you to be strange around me Sei. You're my friend and you might think I have something more for you but you'd be wrong." She says to Sei who smiles and kisses her on the cheek.

"I'm always strange around you Youko. It's tradition for me so don't break it." She slurs before stumbling into the other room. Youko watches her go whilst wiping her Sei kissed cheek, before sitting down on the sofa and looking over me. I give her a smile before getting to my feet. I stumble into my femme boxers and my bra before pulling my jeans up and flopping down next to her and relaxing.

"I'm so wasted." I breathe and she chuckles at me.

"I can see why Yoshino is in love with you." She whispers back. I turn my head to look at her; actually my head sort of flops to the side, because it's so heavy.

"Why's that?" I ask her and she smiles as her eyes travel down my all but bare torso.

"Well, because... You're more than just a rose." She says and I just pull a confused face at her. I have no idea what she is saying to me. I just look up absolutely thrown as she straddles my waist. Why is it only now that I realise her nightwear consists of only a baggy white shirt and a pair of pink knickers? Her bare thighs are milky white and look so tempting that I have to force myself to look up at her face.

"What are you doing Youko?" I ask her and she smiles.

"Nothing much... I'm just getting comfy." She answers me and I pull a face at her.

"It doesn't look very comfy to me. Hold up..." I place my hands under her rump and put her on her back on the sofa. She gasps as I stay between her legs with one hand propping me up and the other one remaining on her buttocks. I know what I'm doing. If you think that I'm about to seduce her then you'd be wrong. I want something soft to sleep on and her bosom is mighty tempting to use as a pillow.

"That's better." I lean down and kiss the tip of her nose before moving from between her legs and laying down with my head on her breasts.

"Rei...?" She whispers.

"Eriko is going to kick your ass if you act like this at her house." That gets a laugh out of me.

"I'll just have to turn into the perfect rose again then aren't I?" I say it almost to myself.

"Your boobs are the best pillows ever." I think out loud and she chuckles. Is this why I'm getting further away from Yoshino? Is it because she isn't enough of a woman for me? It's true that she doesn't have the type of body that I'm usually attracted to. The thing that Kanata, Youko and Sei all have in common is breasts. Youko and Kanata have perfect hourglass figures as well. If Yoshino had all of them then would I be sexually attracted to her? She's too young for me. I like older women that know what they want from me. I can't be bothered with Yoshino and no matter which direction I think about it from I come up with the same thing. I'm not sexually attracted to Yoshino.

**R&R**


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm bored and don't own marimite. Hope you enjoy this.**

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**Rei's POV**

**The morning after**

"Get up already you drunken bums." Yoshino is shouting at Sei and me. I'm still laid on Youko and I think that I've drooled on her. Well that's attractive... not. I groan as I roll off of the sofa and crawl to the bathroom to be sick.

"Is she sleeping with you as well now?" I hear her ask Youko who tells her not to be so rude and nosy. I can't smile because I'm to busy retching into the toilet.

"Yoshino darling... It really isn't any of your business who your cousin chooses to sleep with and I don't think it's very ladylike of you to ask me such crude things."

"But..."

"But nothing young woman, now go get your petite soeur out of bed." Youko pulls rank on my cousin and I admire the oldest Rosa Chinensis for her diplomatic edge. She's going to make a formidable lawyer, that's a fact. 10 minutes later I crawl back into the living room after washing my mouth out more times than I can count at this time of the morning.

"Paracetamol..." I groan as I climb back onto the sofa and lie face down. Youko gets up and walks into the small kitchen. When she comes back she's holding a glass of water and some Paracetamol for me.

"Thank you." I grumble as I sit up and take the things off of her.

"May I say...? That shirt looks great on you." I smile at her pail legs and she laughs at me as she turns away from me. I look all the way up her legs to where her pink panties rub against her rump. The baggy white shirt only hangs over the front of her. It doesn't cover her buttocks the way usual shirts would. I love that shirt so much. I chuck the tablets down my neck and swallow the water when she leaves the room and goes back into the kitchen. I get to my feet and walk slowly into Youko's bedroom where Yumi, Yoshino, Kanata, Aurora-chan, Sei and Sachiko are all sat. Sei looks as if she's suffering as much as me but she still manages to give me a cheeky smile.

"Good morning." She says and I manage to groan at her.

"Will you put a top on and fasten your jeans up...?" Yoshino growls at me before trying to get past me. I grab her arm and pull her against me.

"I'll do as you say if you keep your voice down to a normal decimal instead of that wretched screech of your." I whisper to her as I hug her.

"We're going to see Eriko today so at least try acting like the current Rosa Foetida." I say before letting her go and walking back into the other room to get my t-shirt.

"You are infuriating." I hear her as I walk back into the bedroom whilst pulling the t-shirt on over my head.

"And you're irritating me when I'm hung over." I say back to her as I can finally see again with my t-shirt on properly.

"Oh and I did not have sex with Youko last night. I just fell asleep on those squishy boo... Ouch." I cup my head after Youko slapped the back of it.

"Keep your mouth shut or loose you ability to talk." She says as she walks to her wardrobe and grabs a load of clean clothes. I sit down on her bed between Kanata and Sei as I keep my hands on my head. Yoshino laughs at me before walking out of the room.

"It hurts." I whisper and Sei smiles at me as she rubs the back of my head for me. I look at Aurora-Chan and she blushes before turning away from me. What's up with her?

"She's embarrassed about what she saw last night." Sei whispers and I smile.

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhh Yoshino will blow a valve if she finds out." I say to her and she grins.

"And that goes for all of you." I say whilst my cousin is out of the room.

"I can't handle another blow out today." I say and they all nod at me.

"Maybe if you gave her what she wants you wouldn't have a blow out." Yumi says and I pull a face.

"I don't want to give her what she wants. Why do you all think that I do?" I ask them and they shrug.

"It always seemed like you would end up together. The way you used to look at each other and the way you were always there to pick her up." Yumi says and I shake my head.

"That doesn't mean a thing. Sei was always there for Shimako when she needed her and the same goes for Youko and Sachiko. It doesn't mean that they had a sexual relationship." I say and the two oldest Chinensis both blush and look away from me. When did Youko get back into the room and what's with the blushing?

"Guys..?" I ask them and Sachiko squirms a little.

"Youko is a dreadful drunk and she propositioned me at the New Year party." Sachiko admitted and Youko burnt up.

"It was once and it wasn't as if we did anything at all. In fact if I remember properly you slapped me and then called me a pervert." Youko said to Sachiko.

"You were drunk and your memory is fuzzy. I did no such thing. A lady never raises a violent hand... They get their butlers to do it." She jokes and we hear Sei laughing as gently as she can so she doesn't hurt herself.

"James darling, could you do me a favour, and slap that lady for me, because she tried to make out with me." Sei says in her politest posh voice and everyone except me laughs out loud. I wince at the sound as it echoes through my head and I see Sei do the same.

"So what about you and Shimako, Sei?" I ask her and she shakes her head.

"I offered her a kiss once after her date with Kanina, but it didn't happen. We were like real sisters." She says and I nod.

"That's exactly my point. Plus..." I say and they all look at me expectantly.

"I want someone with..." I indicate breasts and an hourglass with my hands and everyone except Sei and Kanata gawp at me. The other two are laughing as if it's the funniest thing they've heard since they woke up.

"You're a knob Rei." Sei chuckles.

"Does her mum have large breasts?" She asks me and I'm almost sick again. I can't say that I've ever sat there and stared at her breasts. She's my aunt and that just wouldn't be right. And that would be the reason to why I don't find Yoshino sexually attractive amongst those other things.

"Yes her mums are large." I mumble and Sei grins.

"Will you introduce me to her when we get back?" She chuckles and then shakes her head.

"I'm only kidding. What I'm saying is all you have to do is look at a woman's mother to see how they will turn out. Yoshino still has to develop." She says and I groan at her words.

"Then I'll sleep with her when she hits twenty." I grumble and Sei grins at me.

"It just isn't going to happen people so let's just forget about it." I say and they all agree with me.

"So then, Sei..." Yumi was going to say something but the doorbell rang.

"Youko you stinking brain box where are you at?" A woman shouted and Youko shouted back.

"Try the bedroom."

"Sorry honey but you aren't my type." The woman says before she gets to the door and then she stops shocked at the amount of people she has in her room.

"Hey Claudine. Is there any chance that you would be able to change the holiday plans?" Youko asks her.

"To what exactly?"

"To coming with me and my family in a mini bus instead of just me you and Arty?" She offers and Claudine looks us all over again. I don't think I like her. For one, she said that Youko isn't her type which either means she isn't a lesbian or she's blind, and two; I really don't like the way she's looking at us. Yoshino, Shimako, Noriko and Lily-Chan slip past her and into the room where Lily-chan squeaks and jumps on Yumi.

"Gokigenyou Onee-Sama." She says as she hugs Yumi.

"Gokigenyou Lily-Chan did you sleep well?" Yumi asks as she hugs the girl. I catch the weird look that Claudine is giving them and when she notices me she straightens up and keeps eye contact with me. I've decided right this minute that I don't like her.

"You have a big family." She says to Youko who smiles and nods.

"I'd like you to meet the Rosa Gigantea family." Sei, Noriko and Shimako nod at her.

"The Rosa Foetida family." She points at me. Yoshino and Aurora-chan simply wave at her. I don't make a move to introduce myself.

"And the Rosa Chinensis family which is my family." She says and Sachiko, Yumi and Lily-chan all say good day to her in their politest voices. They haven't noticed the vibe? No... If I know anything about the Chinensis family, it's that they pick up on everything and opt to remain unreadable.

"My petite soeur, her petite soeur and so on down the line." Youko explains and Claudine nods.

"Yeah I get it. I keep forgetting that you're from Lillian." She says and her tone irks me.

"So are you coming with?" Youko asks and I smile. She's still coming with even if her friends don't want to.

"I'm not sure. I'm not good with big groups." The woman says and we all jump when another women shouts through the apartment.

"Youko!!! Are you alive yet?" I hear the voice and grip my head as pain ricochets through my brain once again.

"She's through here with her family." Claudine says and a bubbly looking young woman bounces into the room.

"Morning." She grins at Youko and then looks over us with a smile before bowing politely at us.

"It's nice to meet you." She says.

"You must be Arty." I say as I get to my feet and bow at her.

"It's a pleasure." I say before leaving the room and climbing back onto the sofa. I cover my head with one of the cushions and try to relax, because if I don't I'm going to be tetchy all day.

"Rei...! If you go back to sleep I'm going to kick your ass." Yoshino shouts through to me.

"Kiss my yellow rose rear end." I shout back to her and hear her growl.

"Stop shouting at each other already. Eriko is not going to be happy if you act like this in front of her husband." Sei says as she joins me on the sofa and cuddles into me.

"Why did she have to get married? Now we have to act like adults and I don't think much to that." I yawn and close my eyes.

"We noticed." Youko says before she drags the stray roses back into the bedroom so that they can talk.

"That looks mighty comfy." I hear Arty say before Youko collars her into the room. I'm unconscious before I get a chance to ask her to join us which isn't much fun. I feel Sei's lips against my cheek before I'm too far gone though.

­­­­­­­­

* * *

"Come on guys it's time to go." Kanata says as she shakes my shoulder. I open my eyes slightly to see Youko carrying a heavy looking bag out of the apartment and Yoshino following her with a smaller bag. I take my chance and sit up to kiss Kanata passionately on the lips. Sei groans at me, saying that I had stolen her idea but I just carry on for as long as I can.

"You can kiss her when you want. Yoshino won't get jealous of you's two, will she?" I say and they nod in agreement.

"One question... Are we getting changed in the van because we sure as hell didn't bring any clean clothes up here with us?"

"Just you and I forgot that we might have to get dressed in the morning. The others all brought clean clothes up with them." Sei says as she gets off of the sofa and walks into the bathroom.

"Somebody keep and eye out and tell me when Yoshino is on her way back up." I say and Yumi positions herself just outside the door. I start kissing Kanata again until Yumi starts to jump around the room as if her words are stuck in her throat. I pull away from Kanata, who looks like she's in dream land, and get to my feet so that Yoshino won't suspect a thing.

"Come on then guys let's get going. Anyone who needs the loo I suggest you go now because we might not get a chance latter on." I say and they all look at me as if I've lost it. Yoshino walked in through the door before I had started talking and now she has a smile on her face.

"Wow Rei, anyone would believe you had gone back to being the mature, level headed Rosa Foetida." She said sarcastically and I just smile. I refuse to get wound up by her today. I'm going to see my Onee-Sama and because of that I will be the perfect rose. I respect Eriko enough to do that for her.

"Are y'all sure I am okay to come with you's?" Arty asks Youko who nods. I look around trying to see Claudine but she's nowhere to be seen.

"I guess Claudine didn't want to come with?" I ask and Youko shakes her head at me.

"Where do you get your friends from Youko...? Homophobes are us?" I ask her and she actually laughs at my joke. Arty looks a little crest fallen and I smile at her.

"I just meant Claudine, Arty-Sama. Please don't get offended at my words." I say and give her a bow of respect. When I stand up everyone is staring at me as if I've lost my marbles.

"You're like a freaking schizophrenic. Hey I'm Rei the perfect Rosa, but I'm also Rei the womanising lout." Yoshino grits her teeth at me and I smile at her.

"Yoshi-Chan, be a dear and remember your manners." I say before going to the toilet. Whilst in there I wash of the remnants of the make-up and hair gel off and make myself look more presentable. I might as well just stick my school uniform on I feel so fake. Still, if it irritates Yoshino it can't be that bad. I really can't win with her so resigning myself to being the thorn in her side has become quite the fun past time for me. I get out of the bathroom and see that Youko is waiting for me. The others must have already gone down to the mini bus.

"You're going to make yourself go crazy if you have to keep swapping and changing your faces Rei. Try to find a balance between the two." She advises me and I smile at her.

"You want to know what type of person I'd really love to be. It goes against everything I am or ever was as far as Lillian and everyone else is concerned. I want to be the quiet one sat in a corner with a romance novel in one hand and a cup of Mino tea in the other, whilst I'm keeping an eye on Yoshino who is sat on the floor playing with her dolls. I want my past back Youko. I want those innocent days where I had nothing to worry about, except whether Yoshino would live another year, or not. I'm not saying that I want her to be ill again. I don't think I could ever handle that. I just want us to be the way we were back then." I say to her and she nods her understanding.

"I know this isn't me but I don't want to be the person that Yoshino wants me to be. I can't take her innocence from her." I say and she shakes her head.

"From what I can see, she doesn't want to loose that innocence either. She just wants her Rei-San to be with her. Do you love Kanata or Sei or any of the others in any way at all?" She asks me and I smile at her.

"Just as my friends. I could love Kanata as something more than that but neither of us want it to go any further than what we already have." I say and she nods.

"You'll figure it all out sooner or later. I trust that the Rei I used to know is still in there and she can figure anything out." She says and I nod at her as I follow her out of the apartment. She locks it up and we walk side by side down the corridor to the stairs. The stupid thing is... I know who I love. I've just been lying to everyone including myself about it.

**R&R**


	11. Chapter 11

**I don't own marimite**

****

**Rei's POV**

**OMG!**

I can't believe it. How come none of us had heard about it? It was so small and so cute and it looked so much like her. If we were any kind of family to her she would have told us right? So why didn't she say anything about it? I look up at her and she looks trapped. Did we really mean that little to her? Is this why her weekly calls had turned into once every few months?

"May I hold it?" I ask and I can see the gulp she tried to hide. She nods and I bend down to pick it up.

"It's a he by the way." She whispers. The others have stormed off back to the bus because they feel so betrayed. I feel betrayed but this is Eriko we are talking about. Maybe this is her fresh start away from Lillian; away from the Yamayurikai. She isn't a kid anymore and she doesn't need her sisters around her all of the time; butting into her business and complicating things for her. She has her husband and son now. I lift her baby out of the cot and make sure I'm protecting his head as I hold him. I don't know why but tears are brought to my eyes as I look down into his brown eyes. He must take after his father on that score. The little thing opens his mouth and blows bubbles at me and my heart breaks into a million pieces. It's so adorable and innocent and Eriko has grown into a real woman. More of a woman than Youko and Sei, even more than Kanata who is older than them all. The tears slide down my face and Eriko goes into Onee-Sama mode straight away.

"Rei-Chan?" She asks me and I shake my head.

"It's okay Onee-Sama. He's so beautiful." I whisper and she smiles as she kneels down in front of me. Her hand comes up to my cheek and she wipes my tears away with her thumb.

"I'm a little hurt that you didn't even tell us that you were pregnant... never mind that you've had a kid. Why...?" I ask her and she shakes her head.

"I was scared of what was happening and I didn't want to worry anyone." She says and I become confused. What did she have to be scared about?

"Do you remember I told you that my mother passed away giving birth to me? I was scared that the same would happen to me and I was petrified that he would grow up without a mother or any older brothers to look after him. I had to grow up a lot and you all had things going on. It wouldn't have been right to drag you into this."

"You aren't making any sense; but you had reasons no matter how kooky they were." I say just as the little one makes a gaga noise.

"Hey there little one... I'm your Aunty Rei... Yes I am you beautiful little thing." I say to it as it grabs my finger with both of its tiny hands.

"You'll make a good mum one of these days Rei." She says and I choke on a laugh.

"I'm a lesbian Eriko and right now I'm more messed up than you'll ever know. I actually envy you a little. You have your life set up already and I'm fighting everything that tries to get into my heart. I actually wish that my dad would marry me off to some rich guy so that I don't have to get my heart involved." I say and pass the baby back to Eriko who's looking a little shocked at the information overload. It's a good job _I_ didn't turn up with a baby because she would have probably had a heart attack or something like that.

"I have to go... Keep in touch with me please. I don't want to loose you Onee-Sama." I say to her as she places the baby back in the cot. She stands up straight and flings her arms around me as she starts to cry.

"You'll never loose me Rei. You were one of the best things in my life when I was at Lillian and I don't think I could live without knowing that you're okay at least once a month. It does go both ways though. You have to ring me as well." She says and I smile at her.

"Yeah I know... and I have a little one to buy birthday and Christmas presents for now. I really do have to go." I kiss her on the cheek and taste her tears on my lips. I pull away and smile before removing myself from her house and going back to the mini bus. It's time for me to grow up. It's time for me to right the wrongs I have done to my little angel. I know that I don't love her as she wants me to but I can let her have what she wants until she falls for someone else can't I? It isn't that wrong of me is it? I sit at the back of the bus as the tears continue to fall and I huddle myself into the corner as I take out my mobile. I text her:

'I could really use a hug right now Yoshi. Please.' I send it and a few seconds later her mobile beeps and she looks at it. She doesn't move and I forget all about it as I stare blankly out of the window. Have I pushed her so far that she doesn't want to even know me anymore? That would make it easier for me but to be honest I wouldn't mind feeling at least some love right now. I don't want to have totally pushed her away from me because that means that I have lost my petite soeur and my cousin all at once. I just stay here huddled up, practically hugging myself as the tears slowly dwindle away to nothing, and I get that all too familiar numbness. If I'm honest it hasn't really left me since Yoshino's date with that stupid boy. Nothing has made it go away; not Kanata or anyone except... When Sei hugged me after my graduation and when she comforted me all those many times. Sei...? Oh fuck.

I sit here now staring between reality and the shadows of my mind, barely feeling the sun shining on my face through the window, yet knowing that it is there. The weather doesn't reflect my feelings this time. The warmth doesn't stop the cold ache that I feel in my heart. I'm not numb now because I'm admitting to myself what is really the matter with me. I'm not in love with my cousin but I do want her back on good terms with me. If that means hiding from my other emotions then so be it because right now I want her to believe that I love her. I know that it's selfish of me and I know that more than anything, it is wrong of me, but it's what I need. I pushed her away to the point where she no longer wants to even look at me. I've hurt her more than I ever thought I would and because of that I've hurt myself more than I ever thought I could. There are people around me laughing with each other about little random things and I don't want to be a part of it right now. I want to feel secluded because I don't want anyone to see the real me right now. I'm scared that they will think this is just another fake me. Have I pushed them all away with my stupidity or do they remember what I once was? I know that I haven't pushed Sei away but not even she will come near me right now.

"Hey Kanata do you want to take over?" I barely hear Youko asking Kanata to drive. I feel the mini bus come to a stop and they decide that it's time for us all to have some fresh air. I keep my head down as they exit the vehicle and only look up when I can't hear them anymore. Yoshino is sat there watching me as if I'm an alien. Please don't tear into me too badly little angel, I don't think I can take it. I think to her knowing full well that she can't hear it. I don't know what to say to her. Her eyes are pleading with me to say something but I just can't form my words. Maybe that's because the words I am going to give her aren't real. I'm getting angry with myself but this time I won't let her get the bad end of it. She stands up and walks towards the door.

"Please Yoshi-Chan." I finally say something and she stops to look at me. I stop talking and she closes her eyes so that I can't see her pain. I need her to think that I love her so that she will love me.

"What do you want from me Rei? You tell me not to love you so I leave you to yourself and then you tell me to stay with you?" She asks in a torn voice.

"You make me crazy... I hate you but my heart beats for you... Why do you keep hurting me?"

"I'm sorry Yoshi... I'm so sorry." I whisper and I start to cry again. I think it's all of the stress I'm putting on myself with this whole thing. I look away from her so that she can't see the tears and she makes her move. I feel her delicate hand in my hair and I swallow hard as I refuse to look up at her.

"Rei-San... will you please talk to me?" She asks and I try to keep my mouth shut.

"I don't know what to say... I've been a stupid idiot and I've hurt you. I was hiding from my own emotions because they are exactly what everyone expects from me. I don't want to be what everyone wants me to be." What is this shit that you are throwing at her Rei? Stop it and leave her be. My mind is screaming at me and my heart is threatening to fuck off if I continue. I want to feel loved though. I can't get that from Sei because she is just my best friend and I can't get it from Kanata because she is just a sex piece and everyone else comes into the friends' category.

"You shouldn't care about what everyone else thinks Rei. You should be what you really are." She says and I look up at her. Now she is saying this?

"But what if who I really am is not the person that you want me to be? What if the person I really am is the one that you hate?"

"Then I'll just have to hate you. You shouldn't pay any attention to what I want you to be. I can't have my own way all of the time." She acts like more of an adult than I've been since November. I so hate myself for what I'm about to do to her. I take the delicate hand from my hair and place it to my lips before I pull her into my arms and press my face into her stomach as I try to control the tears. I'm not crying because I'm in love with her. I'm not in love with her. I'm crying because I just forced every other emotion to shut up and leave me alone.

"I love you Yoshino." I sob as she holds me to her. That isn't a lie. I do love her, as my little Yoshino. I just don't love her like I love... for fuck sake how did I get into this mess?

"I don't want us to be apart anymore because it's too lonely for me. I need you." That was a lie. I don't need her I just want someone to be nice to me. I know deep down whom it is that I need. I've just been denying it to everyone including myself. She stays silent as she rubs the back of my neck. I don't know how long we are actually positioned like that but it's a long time after I've stopped crying. The others haven't come back yet. I look up into her beautiful eyes and she smiles down at me.

"You're an idiot Rei. A big, stupid, idiot... And I love you too." She whispers. Is this us being...? I am so dumb... I don't know what this means for us and I'm getting scared again. I have to do something!

"Yoshino...?" I'm not asking her for it. That would just be stupid and pathetic. Why in Maria-Sama's name am I struggling like this? I stand up and lean in but I only manage to kiss her cheek. I'm freaking out internally too much to kiss her on the lips. I'm not asking her for a kiss because like I said; that's pathetic.

"You're an idiot." She finally opens her mouth and the words that leave it make me feel like even more of a plank. She somehow catches me off guard though and plants a kiss on my lips. She's a little bit rough and I have a feeling that this is her first one. She hasn't had that much time to give it to someone else has she? I place my hand to her cheek and slow her down. I kiss her tenderly and she leans into me as if she's swooning. I don't know about her but that broken heart of mine isn't piecing itself back together. My hand slides to the back of her head and I hear her moan as I lick her lips. I don't know why but the fact that she's shaking isn't making my blood race through my veins like it does with everyone else. It isn't a bad kiss. It's actually okay even if it does feel a little hollow. I can't stop myself from slipping my tongue into her mouth and exploring it. She groans as I deepen the kiss and slide my hand up the inside of her shirt. I feel a little ill now to be honest. I'm touching up my cousin. Ewww...

"What's..?" I pull away from her as I feel the bandages that are tight to her torso. She blushes as she pushes me away slightly. I just stand there looking dumb.

"Have you been hurt?" I ask her and she shakes her head at me. So if she isn't hurt then why is she wearing bandages?

"I erm... I don't like my breasts... They get in the way when I'm trying to do things." She says and I just gawp at her? They're big enough to get in the way? What is she talking about?

"You could just wear bras." I say to her and she nudges me playfully.

"They don't need holding up they need hiding so that guys can't ogle them and perverts like you and Sei can't get fixated on them." She says and I grin like an idiot. Me and Sei don't ogle boobs. You liar, that is all you and Sei do when you are in the clubs.

"I'm taking you bra shopping when we get to the next town." I say and place my fingers to her lips so that she can't argue with me.

"Just so I know what I'm talking about when I'm buying it for you... What size are you?" I ask and she blushes so much I think that she might have a coronary. The situation went from fake to real within a split second and I'm more lost than ever now.

"I... I... I... Erm I don't know." She says and she actually sways slightly so I sit her down. I think I pushed it a bit too far.

"It's okay you just sit there one minute." I say and jump out of the mini bus. I open the bag compartment and take out my bag. I grab a bra and shove everything back inside the compartment.

"Here try this on." I say and she blushes worse than she had done before.

"Don't worry I'll stand outside if you're embarrassed." I say and she nods as she takes the black lace bra off of me. I jump out of the van and wait there for her to put it on. I wasn't stood outside for her sake. I don't want to see her topless. The thought makes my stomach do nauseous flips.

"Rei..." I hear her and lean back into the mini bus.

"Yeah?" I shout back.

"It's too tight." She says and I blush this time. My bra is too tight for her? Now what am I meant to do?

"Okay then one sec." I pull my mobile out and dial Youko's number.

"Hey Youko... Erm what size bra are you?" I ask and she squeaks at me and calls me a pervert.

"I'm not asking for me. What size are you?" I ask and she grumbles before answering me.

"That should be alright. Can I borrow a bra?" I ask her and she squeaks again.

"Why the hell do you want to borrow one of my bras you perverted old man... you..."

"Youko I've already said it isn't for me it's for Yoshino."

"Why does Yoshino want one of my bras? She isn't turning into you is she?"

"No Youko... Jesus, I want her to try it on so I can figure out what size bra she is."

"She doesn't have any boobs."

"She does, she's just been binding them so that nobody can see them. Mine's too tight for her so I figured one of yours might fit her." I say and she grumbles again. I'm not going to ask Kanata for one. If she needs one as big as Kanata's then she will probably be better off binding them. Otherwise her little body will end up in pain. Breasts that big on a body that small could cause all sorts of back problems.

"Fine... If it fits her tell her she can keep it." Youko says before hanging up on me. I open up the luggage compartment again and grab Youko's underwear bag. My heart nearly stops when I see the... (She's just like Kanata) and she has array of what can only be classed as stupidly erotic undergarments. I grab a bra and take it back to Yoshino. I chuck it over the seats because I have a feeling that she doesn't want me to see her. Scratch that... I don't want to see them. I catch my bra as it comes over the seats and put it back into my bag.

"Rei... It's still a little tight." She says and I nearly pass out.

"How can it be too tight? Youko's a freaking C cup!" I say in shock and she growls at me.

"It isn't my fault okay." Youko's bra hits me in the head and I swoon slightly. She has larger breasts than Youko? But she only has a tiny body so how can that be possible? I grab my mobile again and ring Youko back.

"Hey erm... Your bra's too small for her." I say and Youko gives me a shocked:

"What...? How can mine be too small for her? Does she have footballs stuffed up her top or something? I'm on my way back I'll measure her for you." She says and I blush hard.

"I think she'll die of embarrassment if you do that."

"I don't care I want to know how big they are." She says and I laugh.

"So which one of us is the pervert?" I ask and quickly take her bra off of my head just in case she turns up right now. I stuff it back into her underwear bag and close it up before shutting the compartment.

"You are. I'll be there in a minute." She hangs up again and I walk back into the mini bus to see Yoshino wearing the bandages again. She's pulling her t-shirt over her head when I stop her.

"I wouldn't bother. Youko is on her way back so that she can measure you." I say and she blushes hard as she yanks her t-shirt down and swears at me. As she's swearing Youko jumps onto the bus and looks us both over.

"I can't believe that you're bigger than me." She says and Yoshino gets redder. Youko takes my arm and makes me stand outside the bus as she takes a tape measure out of her purse. I sit down on the step and look at the others who are giving me weird looks.

"I was maybe wrong when I said that she doesn't have any..." I indicate with my hands ( . )( . ) and they all look appalled except Sei, Kanata and Arty. I don't think Arty knows exactly what I'm talking about.

"28 waist... Hmmm." I hear Youko say and I turn red once again.

"Youko if you do anything but measure her I will beat you so hard." I growl and she laughs at me.

"Shut up Rei, I'm being a good girl." She says back to me and I spark up a cigarette. Why are my nerves all shot up? My hands are shaking and I don't know why. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I have lied to Yoshino and it is bound to come back and bite me in the ass.

"So what's going on Rei?" Sei asks and I give her a queasy smile.

"Well... Last night was our last drunken fling and I'm not going to be kissing either of you again." I say and Kanata nods with a grin on her face. What's up with Sei though? She nodded at me yet she isn't smiling about it at all. Something inside me aches but I push it away.

"I'm not feeling too good." Sei says and turns to walk away from us. I watch them as Shimako and Sachiko walk after her. Maybe there's something up with her stomach. She did drink an awful lot last night.

"I'm sure we'll live." Kanata chuckles and Yoshino squeaks out Youko's name. I jump up and stand there shocked as I see Yoshino's bosom and Youko is laughing at something. My eyes meet Yoshino's and I feel the warm wetness dripping out of my nose as my stomach turns inside out. I put my hand to my face and step back out of the bus as blood pours out of my nose. I can't believe... Jesus... Youko joins us outside and takes a handkerchief out of her purse before putting it to my nose for me. I really shouldn't have jumped in to protect her then. I didn't want to see that. I'll admit they are mighty nice breasts but I really didn't find any attraction to them what so ever. I feel sick now never mind Sei. Poor Sei... I should go see if she is okay.

"She's going to be expensive that's for sure. I'm not going to let you know though. I'll go shopping with her instead of you perverts." She pats the top of my head and I smile weakly at her.

"She wants a word with you by the way." She says and I give her a weird look of my own.

"Don't worry she's all bound up again." She says and I step into the bus. I sit down next to her and she smiles at me.

"You got me all wrong Rei." She says and I'm just baffled. Wrong about what exactly?

"I didn't say I wanted you all to myself Rei I just didn't see why you could be with everyone else and then say no to me." She whispers and that light finally goes off in my head.

"But... That can't be right because I'll probably get homicidal if anyone else tries to touch you." I say and she laughs.

"I don't want anyone else though. I honestly don't mind you being with Sei and the others I was just jealous because you were leaving me out." She whispers and I nod dumbly as she stands up and wraps her arms around me. This feels so fake, but I like the contact and I've just killed more than two birds with one stone. Yoshino is happy and I get to be with whoever else I want. I'm so relieved about that. It isn't because of Kanata though.

**R&R Pretty please. Tell me I'm an idiot for putting Rei through this much angst lol.**


	12. Chapter 12

**I don't own Marimite. Do you? Okay people we finally get back to how Sei feels, the poor sod.**

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**Sei's POV**

**The fool**

I sit down on the grass verge as I shout at myself inside. I've done it again. I always do it. I should have made my move last night and told her how I feel. I bottled it instead and now she is going out with Yoshino. I don't care how big the girls tits are, it doesn't make her a nice person.

"Sei...?" Shimako asks in a soft voice. I look up at her with a grin.

"I think I drank too much last night I'll be fine." I say and both her and Sachiko look as if they don't believe me.

"Do you think we can't see through your masks Sei?" Sachiko asks me and I laugh at her. Of course they can see through my masks. It doesn't mean that I have to take them down or talk about what is making me put them up. I can do as I please with my masks.

"Shush up Sa-Chan I'm fine. I just have a bit of a dickey tummy." I say and they shake their heads at me.

"What ever you say. We should go because the hotel I rang said that they can only keep the rooms for us if we turn up before it gets too late." Sachiko says and walks back to the van. Shimako looks down at me with those honest eyes of hers and I keep my smile up.

"And today people the great Sei Houdini will make the real Sei disappear right before your very eyes." She whispers without a smile on her face. This is her being upset with me and I know it.

"Shi-Chan...?" I ask as my smile fades.

"Grow some Sei." She is ruder to me than she has ever been before and I just sit there and take it.

"I'm going to say this because you are my Oneesama. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and sort yourself out because you are just going to hurt her even more if you don't. I know that she doesn't love Yoshino and you know that she doesn't love Yoshino, everyone knows it except Yoshino. She's doing it so that she can make everyone happy so let her believe that you are." She says to me and I shake my head at her.

"I can't lie to her Shi-Chan. I never could. But..." I jump up and dust myself off.

"I'm not giving up on my best friend just because Yoshino wants her." I say with a grin and she nods at me. I get onto the bus and look at Rei as I step past where she's sat with Yoshino. She looks at me and I smile. She smiles back and that is the end of it. I sit next to Kanata at the front of the bus and she gives me a worried look. I grin at her and she takes it as real. She never could see through my façades. I stick my tongue out at her and go boss-eyed just to make her giggle.

"It's good to see that you're okay." She kisses me on the lips and I freeze up. She pulls away and right now she knows that I'm not okay. I've never frozen up on her before. I start grinning again and move so that I can kiss her. I kiss her properly and she moans at me.

"Sorry I froze you caught me off guard." I whisper and she nods before looking forward and starting up the engine. I sit back in the seat and relax the best I can. I look up shocked as Rei plonks herself down at my side and nudges my shoulder.

"You feeling better?" She asks me and I nod as I keep my eyes away from hers. There's one way of Rei not being able to see the truth and that is by keeping my eyes off of hers. She takes her mobile out and starts typing away in the message box before passing it to me.

"I don't know what I'm doing Sei. I'm fucking up and I don't know what to do about it. I know that I shouldn't let her have her own way but I'm sick of the bad feelings." The message says. I delete the words and write one back to her that simply says.

"We both seem to be playing the fool."

* * *

**Rei's POV**

**The kiss**

Youko, Sachiko, Yumi, Lily-chan and Arty have all gone shopping with Yoshino leaving the rest of us here at the Hotel. Shimako and Noriko practically kidnapped Sei and took her out for a white rose dinner two hours ago. They should be back soon though. That leaves me sat here with Aurora-Chan and Kanata. I'm fidgeting because I'm nervous about what Yoshino is going to look like. There's one thing... I can't mistake her for being innocent if she has bigger breasts than Youko. Damn it! Oh lord, please don't let Youko dress her up in a pencil skirt and white blouse. I don't think my heart can survive a pasting like that.

"Will you stop fidgeting already?" Kanata grins at me and I look at her as my hands shake.

"I'm nervous." I say and she laughs.

"We noticed that. So explain to me why everyone was angry at that woman we saw today." It took me ten minutes to tell them what had happened and both Aurora-Chan and Kanata both ended up looking confused at the end.

"I thought that they would maybe be excited about it." Aurora-Chan says and I shrug.

"They would have been but she kept it from us. We were there for her wedding but we wouldn't have even known about her having a child if we hadn't turned up like that." I say and they nod.

"So why didn't you go shopping with the others?" I ask Aurora-Chan and she shrugs at me.

"I didn't feel like it. It seemed more like a Chinensis get together and I wanted to stay here. I don't think I'll be able to look at Yoshino if she looks too different." She admits and I chuckle to myself. I feel the exact same. I can't believe she's as large as she is. I gave Youko enough money to get her a whole new outfit. I just hope that they don't turn her into something she isn't. My cousin, even if she can be a little bit girly, she is essentially a tomboy. Oh please Youko, don't turn her into a secretary. I start fidgeting again and decide it's time for a smoke. If I don't calm down soon I'm going to end up falling over myself when she turns up. The door opens and my heart stops but it's only Sei, Shimako and Noriko. I let out a sigh of relief and turn back to the window.

"What's up with her?" I hear Sei ask as I slump onto the windowsill and light a cigarette.

"She's nervous." Aurora-Chan explains and Sei laughs.

"I'm more excited. It means I get another rose to flirt with." She says and my insides turn cold. Has she made friends with Yoshino? Her message comes back to me and I loose my words for a moment. She's acting the fool. I'm acting the fool. What am I doing? My hands are shaking, my legs are shaking, my heart is pounding and my chest feels so constricted I think I might just keel over. I feel Sei's arms snake around my shoulders and she blows against my ear that turns bright red.

"Calm down will you. Youko won't bring her back looking like a hooker." She says and I grumble at her. Why does she have to know what's on my mind? She takes my cigarette and kisses me on the cheek before sitting at my side and smoking it. That sensation is what calms me down. Her arm and her kiss is what grounded me.

"Did you have fun?" I asked her and she grins at me.

"I always have fun with my little sisters. They are very amusing people." She says and I nod at her. Aurora-Chan and Noriko are sat in the corner chatting away as if they are conspiring against something. I don't know why, but I never think as Noriko with the honorific on the end. I often think of Yumi as Yumi-Chan, and Aurora-Chan and Lily-Chan always have their honorifics. I guess that Noriko just seems like more of an adult that the others; even if Yumi is older than them. It might have something to do with the fact that Yumi has always been undeniably cute and Noriko is a lot more withdrawn and mature. Right now though she looks as thick as thieves with Aurora-Chan. I wonder if Noriko will end up being the leader of the Yamayurikai next year. Yoshino seems to be on her way to being this year's leader even if Shimako has more experience with it.

"Hey Rei... Have you noticed how the petite soeurs are a bit different compared to our usual roses?" Sei asks me and I shake my head at her. I haven't noticed anything.

"Well the yellow roses are usually the more active and head strong like you Yoshino and Eriko are. You have the worst tempers as well. The reds are the diplomatic types that always turn out to be real ladies. Even Yumi is turning into an unconcerned young woman that holds herself with authority. And then you have the white roses. Withdrawn, mature, problematic..." She spiels off a load of words that are meant to describe the white roses and I just look at her as if she's an idiot.

"You have it a little mixed up. For one Shimako isn't problematic, and Noriko isn't either, but she is withdrawn and mature." I say and Sei smiles at me.

"You don't know just how many problems Shimako used to have, and Noriko is actually the exact same. Our little group never seems to change but Aurora-Chan isn't like you lot and I somehow can't see Lily-Chan being a lady... She's too _bouncy_." Sei says and I laugh.

"You used to think that about Yumi if I remember correctly."

"Yeah I know but Lily-Chan is like ten times more energetic than Yumi was and she doesn't have Yumi's worry streak." Sei counters me and I shake my head at her.

"If you ask me then there is only Aurora-Chan that is different. I can see a bit of Youko's Onee-Sama in Lily-Chan. There's only one way to find out about them though and that's to see how they act with their Petite soeurs when they choose them this year. If Aurora-Chan turns into the mothering type then she's just like the rest of us." I say and she shrugs.

"What are you two conspiring about?" Shimako asks and all of a sudden the way Aurora-Chan and Noriko are talking comes across as a mirror image of Sei and me. The same thought must have hit Sei as well because she looks from me to the two youngest roses.

"I think you just made your point and I can't wait to see how those two turn out together." Sei whispers in my ear.

"I'm pretty sure Shimako will have something to say about that." I whisper back and I accidentally get caught up in Sei's pail eyes. Before either of us know exactly what's happening we're kissing. Did she move in first or did I? I'd like to think that we moved at the same time but I have a feeling that I moved first. We have never kissed like this when we're sober so what is so different now? This can't be just another complication. Not after I've just started going out with Yoshino. Oh what am I saying, I don't want Yoshino anyway so what does it matter if it gets any more complicated? She pulls away all too quickly and blushes. Why the hell did she have to pull away? I don't think she's ever kissed me that passionately before; not even when we were both drunk has she ever kissed me like that. Something weird is going on here. Something weird and it isn't from Sei. I want to kiss her again. I want to kiss her so badly. She drops her eyes away from mine and turns to Shimako.

"Hey Shimako are you and Noriko a couple?" Sei asks and Shimako turns red at her question.

"I don't see how that has anything to do with you two being as thick as thieves." Shimako says in a quiet voice as she becomes a little more withdrawn than usual. She remains the perfect little porcelain doll of a lady though as she gives us a small bow.

"Please don't ask such things Sei-Sama."

"Hey Noriko are you giving it to Shimako?" Sei blatantly ignores her petite soeur and Noriko sits up straight.

"Sei-Sama..." Shimako warns her in a gentle tone and Sei puts her hands up.

"No I'm not Sei-Sama. I'm too young for such things. I'm going to wait until I'm old enough to fall in love."

"With Shimako...?" I ask and she smiles at me.

"With whoever steals my heart Rei-Sama." Noriko answers me and my insides shrivel up. The girl is going to get hurt because just like Shimako she is a little porcelain doll that is bound to shatter if handled too roughly; and just like Sei once was, she's too caught up in the fantasy of what love should be.

"We have another Sei on our hands." I whisper to Sei and she nods.

"I know but I wouldn't worry about it. Shimako knows how to deal with it." Sei says in a low voice and I smile. It's good that she has so much confidence with her Petite soeur. I just hope that Aurora-Chan doesn't turn out like me. If she does then I can't see Yoshino handling it very well; or any petite soeur that she might choose.

"Does anyone know why Yumi didn't choose Touko-Chan?" Sei asks and Aurora-chan and Noriko look up.

"She transferred to a different school." I tell her and Sei's eyes widen.

"How come nobody told me? I don't get to know anything any more." She groans and I stick out my bottom lip at her. She just carries on sulking and then starts to poke my sides. She knows she can't win at this; she is way more ticklish than I am. By the time Yoshino gets back with the red roses I'm rolling around on the floor with Sei and everyone else is trying to split us up. Everyone gets away from us and Sei and I carry on fooling around like kids.

"Sei..." Kanata hisses and gently jabs Sei in the side with her foot. Sei looks up and I release her as I try to catch my breath. When I look up I come face to face with Yoshino and I would have been on the floor if I hadn't already been here. She looks so... so... Dear lord, what have they done to her? She looks like an adult. She is only 16 years old. Those jeans... they shouldn't hug her buttocks like that and that tank top... it's too tight for her. Where are her baggy clothes...? Is she wearing make-up? What have they done to her braids? Her hair isn't in braids anymore. Instead it's loose and straight and it's been put into a side parting. Where's my little Yoshino gone?

"Rei...?" She asks me and I slowly get to my feet.

"I... You..." She looks different when I'm stood up. I start to realise just how beautiful she looks. I can't get used to the make-up but she does look stunning. I suddenly have a new reason to protect her. If a man so much as glances at her I will beat him. I figured it out. No matter how beautiful she is or how sexy she looks... I'm just not attracted to her. I'm not attracted to my Girlfriend/cousin.

"You look very nice." I say and she smiles at me.

"You can almost see the cogs working in her head." Youko says about me.

"I bet I know what she's thinking as well." Sei says with a grin.

"Yes because all perverts think alike." Noriko says in a joking tone and Sei laughs at her.

"Knowing Rei... and I do know her; she's probably thinking about beating up any man that comes within ten feet of her. And I'd just be trying to figure out why I have no attraction what so ever to her, even if she is hot" She says and I just gawp at her. Just how does she know what's going on in my head? I lo... Holy shit...

"Do you have some kind of ESP?" I ask her and she chuckles as she shakes her head at me. I turn back to Yoshino.

"Ground rules... You are not allowed to go anywhere without me dressed like that. You are not allowed people like Sei... unless it's Sei, because like she said she isn't attracted to you at all; anywhere near you... And please where your braids when you go to school because, we all know that the nuns are perverted lesbians in disguise, and I don't want them seducing you." I say and everyone except Yoshino breaks into hysterics.

"Are you being serious?" Yoshino asks me and I nod.

"Deadly, for one, you can't kick anyone's ass wearing them heals so if anyone wants a go at you they can, and two, I don't want to ever see you with cuts and bruises on you. Not again." I whisper and everyone stops laughing as Yoshino jumps into my arms and hugs me tight to her.

"What do you mean again?" Aurora-Chan asks and Yoshino chuckles.

"I went on a date with some guy and he ran off like a scared child when a load of punks started. I beat them all senseless but I didn't get out of it without a few cuts and bruises."

"Guys attacked you?" Yumi squeaks and Yoshino nods.

"But they came off worse. That won't happen if you wear those heels." I warn her and she nods as she gives in to me.

"Fine, I won't wear them unless I'm with a load of friends from the kendo team." She says and I grin at her.

"That sounds fine by me. What about the nuns?" I ask her and she blushes.

"Have you seen the latest nun to join the team?" She asks me and I roll my eyes at her.

"She's being serious. You missed her being introduced to us because you ran off with Kanata-Sama at your graduation." Shimako says in a quiet voice.

"Sei...?" I ask her and she nods.

"She's hot stuff. I almost wish I was still in school she's that hot." Sei says and I groan. I missed it for all the right reasons though. I was busy with Kanata and that was far more important than seeing a hot nun.

"It's such a pitty that I don't get on with nuns." Sei grumbles and pounces on Kanata.

"Why couldn't I come with you to the Rose mansion instead of Rei? She'd have appreciated the nun more. You always run off with Rei. Do I mean nothing to you?" Sei jokes and kisses Kanata passionately on the lips. We all watched them shocked as Kanata moans and pulls Sei against her.

"Hello, we are still in the room." Youko says and shakes her head.

"We have to figure out who's sleeping where."

"We'll go by colour. You five, can split yourselves up into two rooms. Kanata and Sei probably won't sleep. Shimako and Noriko can share and Aurora-Chan can kip with us." I say to Youko and she rolls her eyes.

"Are you sure you two want a third party in the room tonight?" Sachiko asks me and I look at Yoshino. Please let Aurora-Chan stay in the room. I don't want anything to happen.

"I'm not putting my petite soeur out. If you want some tonight you can go sleep with those two weirdoes." Yoshino says to me and I smile at her. She is most definitely a yellow rose.

"I don't want to sleep with them." I say and I see Sei freeze up in the corner of my eye. I put my hand to my head and rub the tension that is building there.

"All right then. Aurora-Chan... You are sleeping in the same room as Yoshino tonight. I'll sleep where I land." I say and Yoshino nods at me.

**R&R Please**


	13. Chapter 13

**Marimite isn't mine.**

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**Sei's POV**

**That night**

Kanata has fallen asleep. I think that I may have worn her out a bit to be honest. The weird thing is though that I couldn't let her touch me. She tried to but I kept pinning her hands down and doing something else to her until she fell asleep. I think she might have got the clue. I sit down at the windowsill again. The last time I looked out of the window I saw Youko stepping into the mini bus. That had put a dampener on my mood. I'll live though. I always do. I move away from the windowsill and get dressed before walking out of the room I was sharing with Kanata. I walk out of the hotel and down the street to the bar that I saw on the way in. I'm pretty sure it's a gay bar, and it's bound to be fun even if it isn't.

"Can I see your I.D please?" A big guy asks. He must be a bouncer. I take out my wallet and show him my drivers licence. He nods and moves aside to let be in. The bar is actually a club which I'm surprised about. It's bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside. I'm impressed. I walk up to the bar and smile at the bar maid.

"What can I get you?" She asks me and I lean over the bar a bit to tell her.

"I'll have a brain haemorrhage and, a bottle of Sake to go with it, please gorgeous." I say and she nods at me. Whilst I'm waiting I scope out the patrons trying to see if there are any sticking out like a thumb with their gayness. Unfortunately I can't see any gay couples or anyone that looks in the slightest bit like they bat for the other team. This is going to be a fun night... Not.

**

* * *

**

**Rei's POV**

**That night**

I look up as the mini bus door opens and Youko steps in with a smile on her face. What's she doing here? I figured that she would have been asleep by now instead of climbing into the mini bus.

"Arty and Lily-Chan are sharing a room because Sachiko wanted a bit of privacy with Yumi. I couldn't sleep so I came to see you."

"It's great getting kicked out of a room for the little ones isn't it." I drone and she smiles at me. I lie back down on the back seat and close my eyes. It's my turn to drive in the morning and I don't want to be causing any accidents so I should really get to sleep. Yet I have a feeling that Youko has different ideas running through that smart mind of hers. I feel her get on top of me and I moan at her.

"Youko...?"

"Yes?" She asks me back and I open my eyes to look at her.

"What are you doing?"

"This and that..." She sits up and arches her back as she pulls her shirt over her head. My heart stops at the sight of her abdomen and breasts. She looks so pale in the moonlight that is coming through the back window. Her bosom is encased in a blood red silk and lace bra and my brain feels like it's encased in cotton wool. Jesus, she's so beautiful. I have to force myself to keep my hands behind my head. I really want to run them up her stomach to cup those breasts, but she wants it as well so I'll just stay laid as I am until she gets pissed off with me. I have to control myself... Holy shit... I look down to see her pulling her skirt up those milky white thighs before she pulls that over her head as well. She's driving me insane and she isn't even doing that much.

"Pull your tongue back in Rei you're drooling all over the place." She jokes with me but I just give her a languid smile as I take in her body with my gaze. She's wearing a matching thong that acts like some kind of sensual barrier; breaking up the pail skin with a shock of crimson.

"You're going to get cold Youko." I warn her and she smiles a smile that I have never seen on her before. I get that sickly sweet warm ache in the pit of my stomach as she raises that damned eyebrow at me and a shiver runs up and down my spine. She moves against me before she does the unimaginable... I'm _so_ going to go to hell. Her left hand slides up her stomach to that red bra and slips inside the cup as her right hand goes in the opposite direction. My breath catches in my throat as I feel her fingers... moving against her own core. How can she be doing this? This is more than just erotic foreplay... This is her getting off on me by herself.

"How can I get cold if you're giving off all of this heat?" She asks me and I want to cry. It isn't me that's giving off heat it's her and she's going to make me feint. No that's a bit melodramatic of me. I won't feint but the damp heat at my core tells me that she's making me do something else. She's moving against me as if she's riding me and her head is flung back as she groans and gasps and dear lord I can't stop myself. I sit up so fast that the blood rushes to my head and I almost nock her backwards. My left hand goes to the small of her back to keep her steady as my right hand unclasps her front fastening bra. I let her carry on playing with herself but I can't stop myself from capturing one dark nipple between my lips and licking it. I feel her judder slightly against me as my tongue flickers against the nub. My head feels heavy and light all at the same time as I nip her nipple and she squeaks at me. I'm so sober, I feel drunk on the feelings that she is provoking within me. This lust that I am feeling isn't something that I'm used to when sober and I'm not sure what it means. Her gasps are coming in harsher and faster and I'm just helping her on her way.

"Rei..." She whispers with a breathy murmur. I pick her up in my arms making sure not to stop her as I turn us around and lay her down on the seat. This position seems very familiar but this time I don't want to sleep. I lean over her and kiss her exposed neck as I slide my right hand into her panties. I feel the motion of her own hand and her long slender fingers as I join her.

"Slow down." I whisper against her ear and she jerks ever so slightly as I push her fingers against her own bud of nerves. I slow her motions down as I allow her slickness to coat my fingers and slip against her slowly. Each movement makes her twitch or gasp and I love every second of it. I can't believe that this is Youko beneath me; even as she wraps those long legs around me and arches her back up so her front meets me. I just want to devoir her.

"Fuck..." I whisper as she judders up against me again. I need more of her than what I'm getting.

"Don't stop." I tell her as I move away from her slightly and yank her panties down.

"Rei...?" She asks but I barely hear her. I'm transfixed on the sight of her fingers playing in the glistening wetness at her own core. The way those milky white thighs are open and directing me into her. I want to taste her and feel her and... and... I enter her just to hear that animalistic groan of passion. I'm inside her and I can feel her gripping me gently as she says my name again and again. I don't even recognise the fact that it is Youko anymore. The only thing that matters is the realisation within me that this woman is turning my brain cells to mush in the most beautiful way possible. I thrust two fingers in and out as she plays with her own bud and I am most definitely not going to sleep tonight. I am most definitely going to be doing more than just this to her before the sun rises. I can feel the mini bus rocking as she bucks and thrust her hips up to meet my fingers and the way her body looks is the most beautiful thing I have seen.

"Rei...!" She all but screams my name as she tenses up and I watch in awe as the one woman who is always in control looses control. I let her calm down and she finally moves her hand away from her face so that I can see her. She's smiling that smile but she's trying to hide it from me. I can still feel her core trembling and contracting around my fingers and my heart is going haywire for the second or third time tonight. I watch her eyes widen as I remove my fingers from her and place them to my lips. She opens her mouth as if she's going to say something so I just smile and place my fingers to her lips instead. Her tongue flickers out tentatively tasting herself on my fingers and heat rushes through me like a wave.

**R&R, if this is getting to be too much, you have my permision to give me a cyber slap. Lol**


	14. Chapter 14

**Marimite...It isn't mine.**

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**Rei's POV**

**The difference between Sei's driving and a bull in a china shop... (There isn't 1)**

"Sachiko...?" I hear Yumi say her girlfriend's name. I'm really not paying any attention to anything but myself to be honest. They had all trundled into the mini bus at something past nine when I was still asleep against Youko and only wearing my jeans and panties. Even they weren't covering what they should, and Youko had only pulled her panties back on before she settled down for the morning. I am so glad that the bus windows are one way. If they hadn't been one way then innocent passers by would have had haemorrhages through their noses. Let it just be made clear that our petite soeurs and friends were more than just a little shocked at what they saw. I don't know what was wrong with Sei's face this morning but she looked a little worse for wear and stank like a brewery.

"I beg your pardon?" Sachiko's disbelieving tone drags me out of my memories of last night. I turn my head and see the red rose's pail complexion. I decide here and now that I have no need to know what they are talking about. It's none of my business, and by the look on Sachiko's face, whatever Yumi said should have a certificate18. I crawl back into my head and the image of Youko bent over the back seat rocks my core. Oh god I'm so fucked up.

"I said..." I cut Yumi's voice out of my mind as I stand and go to sit with Shimako. She gives me a friendly smile as I lean back in the seat. Her tinkling chuckle makes me smile as I close my eyes and try to relax. I can't hear Yumi from here because the rest of them are making too much noise. Youko is trying to calm Lily-Chan down because the young girl is far too energetic for her, and the others are all shouting things at each other. Anyone would believe we were from a lowly public school instead of one of Japan's most prestigious all girls' catholic school.

"Can I give you some advice Rei-San?" Shimako's delicate voice breaks into my mind and I turn my head to look at her.

"Try sleeping on a night." She says and I smile at her simple solution. I can't help but grin at her.

"I would have but I was busy." I say to her as I face forward and close my eyes again.

"Believe me Rei-San, we all noticed." She says in that innocent tone of hers. I laugh out loud and sigh before falling into silence.

"Youko, Youko, Youko...!" Lily-Chan skips down the isle of the mini bus and stops right next to Sei who is driving. This can only end badly. Sei is not the best person to distract when driving; especially not if she was drinking last night.

"What's up Lily-Chan?" Youko asks her and Lily-Chan grins and wiggles her eyebrows as she squirms slightly.

"What's the difference between lesbian and straight sex?" The youngest red rose asks. Kanata grabs Lily-chan and pulls her into her as Sei breaks harshly. I see it before I'm thrown forward into the back of the seat in front. I just manage to get my arms in front of my face before I crash into it. In the commotion I hear Shimako curse which is more of a shock than anything else.

"Sei...!" Yumi shouts as the bus comes to a stop and Sachiko moves faster than I have ever seen her move before. She flings open the bus door and jumps out before going to the grass verge and loosing her breakfast. I look up to see Shimako rubbing her wrist. I scan everyone else to see if they are okay but everyone seems fine... All except Youko who is holding her forehead. Blood slowly dribbles between her fingers and my stomach turns to ice. I jump up and grab my backpack from under the front seat. I push the stupid collection of books out of the way and pick out my first aid kit before going to where Yoshino is fussing over Youko. I can see the woman's temper boiling below the surface as I gently move her hand.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" I ask her and she glares at me.

"Three..." She grumbles and I nod before wiping the blood away. It's only a little nick on her hairline but it's bleeding quite badly.

"I think you'll live." I smile and she bares her teeth at me in what can only be described as a snarl. It's such an ugly look for such a beautiful woman. I press a patch to the small gash and tape it into place below her hair.

"Is everyone still alive?" Sei shouts back to us.

"Yeah, Youko cracked her coconut but other than that we're fine." Yoshino says and Sei apologises to us all about breaking like that.

"Maybe next time you'll concentrate on what you're doing instead of what the kids are going on about." Youko grumbles as she gets to her feet and steps off of the bus to see to Sachiko.

"I'm sorry..." We all look to the front at the sound of Lily-Chan's wavering voice. She's going to cry.

"Everyone get off of the bus. Go stretch your legs." I say to them and Sei is the first one to jump out of the vehicle.

"Lily-Chan...? Wait there." I say and she looks at me with watery scared eyes. When everyone else has left the bus I sit down next to Lily-Chan and pull her into my arms as she starts to sob.

"There, there." I whisper as I stroke her hair.

"It isn't your fault Sei is a crappy driver." I say and she chokes on a laugh through a sob.

"I'm really sorry Rei-Sama. I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Shh, don't worry about it. Just be thankful that Kanata has such fast reflexes otherwise you'd have gone through the window." I say and she looks up with scared eyes. Oh yeah Rei just tell her that she could have been torn to pieces by the windshield. That's sure to get her to calm down. I think to myself as I pull her back into me.

"Sorry that didn't come out right. What I'm trying to say is that it could have been worse so don't cry over spilt milk." I say as she holds onto my t-shirt.

"Is Youko angry at me?" She asks in a little voice.

"I doubt it. She'll be angrier at Sei for being an idiot behind the wheel. You were just being curious even if you did go about it the wrong way. Yumi will probably have something to say to you about the way you acted but... If you ask me she's a bit of a soft touch so I wouldn't worry." I say and she allows me to see a bit of her smile.

"Are you smiling? I'm sure I just saw a bit of a smile..." I start tickling her and she laughs at me.

"See I knew I saw a smile." I chuckle at her. I don't know why but I'm shocked when she flings her arms around my shoulders and gives me a proper cuddle.

"Thank you Rei-Sama." She smiles and I ruffle her hair.

"Don't mention it; and you can drop the honorific Lily-Chan. Rei is just fine." I say and her eyes light up as she looks up at me.

"Well then will you just call me Lily?"

"Aww but Lily-Chan sounds so cute... can I keep it please?" I pout and she giggles again. It's so cute it just makes me want to wrap her up in cotton wool.

"That sounds okay. You want to know something Rei...?" She looks as if she is trying out how my name sounds without the Sama part of it.

"I almost forgot you can be like this. From what I've seen of you since we started this trip it's hard to imagine that you care." She says and to be honest I'm a little hurt by her admission.

"I'm sorry. I've not had a reason to care much lately but I'll never see any rose in pain." I say in a quiet voice.

"Come on." I tap her thigh.

"I'll go get Yumi so she can have a word with you." I say and her eyes become sad again. I jump off of the bus just to see Sachiko throwing three mints into her mouth.

"Hey puke breath wanna make out?" I wiggle my eyebrows at her and she glares at me.

"I don't either. Yumi go have a word with you petite soeur and explain how a lady in the red rose family should conduct themselves." I say and she rolls her eyes at me.

"Rei-San don't tell me how to treat my petite soeur. I'll deal with her as I see fit." Ooh I really like it when the Rosa Chinensis part of her comes through. That self propelled sense of morals really hits something deep inside me. I always wondered what I saw in Youko other than that body of hers. Hmm, Youko's body.

"Will you stop staring at me?" Yumi asks and I snap out of my reverie to stare blankly at her.

"What...?" I ask and she glares again.

"You were staring at me." She says in a voice that is totally un-amused.

"I don't know why when I was thinking about Youko." I mutter and turn around to see Youko glaring at me.

"You were what?" She asks me as she taps her foot on the concrete and sucks the inside of her cheek. She looks so empowered with her fists against her hips.

"Thinking about Sei." I grin and Sei chuckles at me.

"You're a cheesy quaver." Sei grins and kisses my cheek.

"Will you go talk to Lily-Chan please Yumi? I think she'll have pulled herself apart enough over this don't you?" She turns to Yumi who looks at her wrist watch and nods.

"Sure, it saves me having to punish her for being so crude." Yumi sighs and walks back to the bus. What the hell? Yumi was letting Lily-Chan punish herself? That's just so... unlike Yumi. Then again she always was the type to punish herself whenever she did anything wrong so I guess she knows first hand how well it works. I guess she is more grown up and calculated than I gave her credit for.

"Give them five minutes and then Arty can take over the driving." Sei says as she wraps her arms around me from behind. It's really weird how she keeps doing it but I'll be a liar if I say that I don't like it. It feels like the most comfortable natural thing in the world to me. Plus with her being behind me I don't have any way of kissing her.

**R&R... I started writing the story in just Rei's POV which is why Sei doesn't have a right lot to say. I put her in to bulk it up and give it a bit of depth.**


	15. Chapter 15

**I don't own Marimite.**

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**Rei's POV**

**Dream a lil dream of Sei...**

It's a dream. It has to be a dream because real life is never this surreal. I'm stood in a space that I can't calculate the dimensions of. It's just pure white with light coming from everywhere and it's so bright my eyes hurt.

"Rei...?" a sing song voice reverberates gently through my sense of hearing. Two warm slender hands slip around me as the woman presses gently against my front. Her long dark hair flows around us but I can't see her face. I lean into the warmth and the sent of a woman that I know, in some way, I need. Her lips push against my neck; placing a delicate kiss to the sensitive area. I feel her hands; one at the small of my back and the other rested against my buttocks.

"Tell me you love me Rei." The sing song tone asks something of me that I can't in good faith do.

"I can't." I whisper and the woman pulls away from me. Her face is blank. No mouth, no eyes, no nose... just blankness.

"That's a pity." She says. Her body changes to a smaller more delicate shape and the long dark hair becomes braided into two locks. Her hands stay at her side as her face looks up at me. Her face is just as blank as the other one but I know who it is.

"Rei-San...? You love me don't you?" Her voice slips through me and I nod on instinct. I love her as my little cousin.

"But what about me?" Two cold hands come into contact with me as feminine arms wrap around me from behind. I... Oh fuck I'm so messed up.

Cold hands make a warm heart and I don't know why, but I want a place in this ones heart. I lean back and feel her hold on me tighten as the other woman starts to fade out. I reach out for her but she is already gone.

"Rei...?" The voice asks me as a cold hand comes to rest above my left breast. I put my hand against the one on my heart and sigh at the way it fits in mine. The hand changes to a more slender, warmer hand and I feel the body behind me change shape.

"You want her don't you Rei..." It's just as delicate a voice as the others but it has a diplomatic edge to it

"Yes." I whisper. The woman I'm leant back against disappears and I fall back in a pile on the floor. Why did she do that?

"Rei...?" The little voice enters my ears but I can't see anybody. The white fades out to black and I'm left in darkness all on my own.

"Rei?" The voice is asking me something but I don't know what.

"It's time to wake up Rei-San." My eyes open to find Yoshino, Arty and Shimako trying to wake me. It's dark outside and I grumble at them as I get to my feet. Why did they let me sleep for so long? I'll never get to sleep tonight now. My eyes drift around me and I see Youko sat in the middle of a seat. Her eyes are barely open and she's sat there with Lily-Chan cuddled into one side of her and Aurora-Chan snuggled into the other side. She looks like a mum who has just finished telling her kids a bedtime story and they've fallen asleep on her. Noriko is asleep on the seat behind me with her head rested on Sei's lap. Sei has a tender look in her eyes as she strokes the girl's dark hair. She really cares about the youngest Gigantea just like she cares for Shimako. Just like a big sister should.

I face forward and see Sachiko about ready to fall asleep, and Yumi-Chan has already slipped into unconsciousness leant against her. Arty, Yoshino and Shimako are all sat or stood watching me.

"Why did I have to wake up? Everyone else is falling asleep." I say in a quiet tone so as not to disturb anyone.

"Kanata's eyes are beginning to hurt her and it's your turn to drive." Yoshino says to me and I grumble again. I walk down the short isle and pat Kanata's shoulder.

"Hey gorgeous do you want to get some shut eye?" I ask her and she smiles as she nods at me. She slows the bus down and pulls it onto the hard shoulder before coming to a stop. When did we get onto the highway?

"Have you had enough sleep?" She asks me as she gets to her feet. I just nod at her and she smiles again before stepping against me and placing a kiss to my cheek. I smile at that and stop her from walking away from me. I kiss her on the lips and she lets out the smallest of gasps as I hold her to me and squeeze her pert buttocks. Did I ever tell you that I'm stupidly attracted to this woman?

"Don't drive all night you'll hurt your eyes." She whispers as she puts her forehead to mine. She looks sad about something but I can't place why she would be.

"Sure thing boss." I whisper and she kisses me on the lips again before going to the seat before the back one. It seems nobody wants to sit on the back seat anymore. I can't think why. Yeah right, after last night I don't think any of them will ever sit on the back seat again. I plonk myself into the driver's seat and start the engine back up again. I set off slowly so as not to jerk anyone out of their sleep. I can hear the gentle chatter of the ones that are still awake. Ladies come out at night? It seems that with this lot that statement is true. They are all but yobs in the light and then when the sun goes down they become controlled and polite. Even Sei has turned into a rose again as she talks quietly to Kanata whilst stroking Noriko's hair. It wouldn't be like this if there was alcohol involved but let's not think about that. I wipe the others from my mind and concentrate on the straight road ahead of me. I'm so absorbed in driving that I don't notice the chatter behind me becoming less and less. An hour after I got behind the wheel I look up as a cold hand comes to my shoulder. The first thought that comes into my head is that I've fallen asleep again and I panic a little.

"Hey it's just me." I hear Sei and calm down. She sits down on the seat next to mine and smiles at me.

"Can't you sleep?" I ask her as I turn my head to glance at her.

"Nah... I have some stuff on my mind and I can't sleep when it's buzzing all over the place." She says to me in a small voice. I don't think it's because she doesn't want to wake the others. I think she's being quiet because she can't bear to talk in anything but a whisper. Is the reason to her looking sad all day, what's on her mind?

"Are you in love with Kanata, Rei?" She asks me and I smile as I shake my head.

"I love her as a friend but I'm not in love with her." I whisper and she nods at me.

"I guess I could fall in love with her, but there are so many other things going on that it wouldn't be right." I whisper.

"Has she talked to you about what she's doing when we get back home?" She asks and I look at her as I shake my head.

"She's moving back home to be with her family." She says and something inside me aches.

"What about college?" I whisper and she shakes her head.

"She just finished her last year." She says. I don't do anything right now except drive. No more Kanata? I'm not going to lie to you. I'm going to miss her like crazy, but if it's what she wants then I'm not going to stop her.

"Are you okay?" Sei asks and I nod.

"Yeah. It's a bit of a shock but I'll live. I'm sure gonna miss her." I say and she gives me a delicate smile that looks as if it's more than ready to break.

"You and me both. Listen I know this is a bit sudden but... I was wondering... If you would maybe want her room when she's gone." Sei seems to be struggling with her words. I don't think I've ever seen her like this. I've seen her quiet, I've seen her depressed and I've seen every aspect of the fake side she shows to everyone else from time to time, but I've never seen her struggling to talk. She opens her mouth to say something more but quickly closes it again.

"I'll think about it Sei." I say and give her a smile that is real, yet it has a sad edge to it because one of my best friends is moving away and the other one looks like she's in pain.

"It doesn't matter. You don't have to." She mumbles as she turns away from me. I am allowed to be confused right now aren't I? Well even if I'm not allowed I am confused.

"Sei...? I never said that I don't want to. I said I'll think about it. You were right. It is a bit sudden but it sounds like a good idea to me. It's closer to college and you'll need the extra money if Kanata moves out. I'm just thinking about what happens to my studies if I move in with you." I say and it's her turn to look confused.

"Your studies?"

"Yes, like; will I be able to concentrate on my college work if I have you as a distraction? I don't want to flunk because I'm spending most of my time laughing with you." I say and she pulls a face at me.

"I know this might come as a shock to you Rei but... I always get my homework done as soon as I get in from college. I'm actually a bit of a study freak to be honest. The only time I act like a fool is on the weekend." She says and I smile at her.

"It isn't a shock. I just don't remember that there are two of you sometimes." I smile and I get a grin out of her.

"You don't even realise that you have your barriers up anymore do you?" I ask and she actually chuckles a little bit at me.

"How much you know me Rei. But you should also know that I don't have my barriers up with you. You've never shown me a fake face so why should I show you one?" She asks me and I grin at her.

"That's good then. So all of those cheeky grins and, laughing fits, aren't you hiding from what's inside you... but letting what's happening outside have an effect on you?" I ask and she becomes totally serious. Her pale eyes are more honest than I have ever seen them and I'm a little scared of what she is about to say to me.

"An effect on me...? Yeah, I guess that's it. At an understatement, that would be it." She whispers almost to herself.

**Sei's POV**

**What these eyes have seen, what this mouth can't say**

They're stood there in the parking lot thinking that there is nobody around to see them. They all left me in the van to sleep again which I don't mind because it gives me head space. I didn't want to see what is going on there though. Yoshino stayed where she was stood and told the others to go on without her. I could hear her saying the words from where I was laid on the back seat. I stood up to see what was going on. Even if I do hate her I was still a little worried about her. I thought that she was ill or something. I hear Youko's friend say that she'll stay behind and keep an eye on her and the others say that it's okay. I sit in the driver's seat and watch the others walk away. They disappear around a corner of the service station and then in the next instant. Yoshino stands on her tiptoes and kisses Arty on the lips. Arty leans into it and hooks her hands under Yoshino's rump. I watch them without being able to move or say a word. Arty picks her up and Rei's cousin wraps her legs around the older woman's waist as they kiss as if they have been doing it for ages. Their mouths come apart and they stand there gazing at each other as they talk in quiet tones. I can't hear them and I'm glad. I don't want to know what they are saying to each other. How can Yoshino do that to Rei? She told her that she loves her and only her. So then why is she kissing a stranger? I know that Rei has been doing pretty much the same but Rei... Rei says that she didn't let Youko touch her because it made something inside her feel weird. She won't let Kanata touch her or kiss her like they used to anymore. Kanata can't even kiss her on the cheek without her freezing up and me...? How can I even look Rei in the eye again after what I've just seen? The two pull apart and Yoshino lowers her feet to the floor moments before the others come back and I move to the back seat as I light a cigarette. Rei jumps onto the bus and looks at me with a smile. What does she have to smile about? Her girlfriend was just making out with another woman.

"Hey there." She says and I nod at her. She stops smiling and I stand up and walk past her so that I can get some fresh air.

"Sei, is there something wrong?" She asks me and I shake my head as I jump off of the bus.

"Aren't you going to talk to me?" She asks and I shake my head again.

"Oh." She stops walking after me and goes back to the others. It isn't that I don't want to talk to her. It's just... I try to say her name and nothing comes out... I think I've lost my voice.

R&R


	16. Chapter 16

**I don't own marimite.**

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**Rei's POV**

**Eh?**

I'm tempted to ask her what is going on with her. She has been weird around me for the last two days. Ever since I said I was to be with Yoshino. I've slept through the days and driven through the night and she has often sat at my side reading one of the many books that I brought along. But will she look into my eyes? No, she won't. She won't even let me take her hand in mine so that I can kiss it. Which; by the way, I have an increasing need from somewhere within me to do. I have a feeling that she will tell me in her own time. I'm not about to push her into talking to me about it. That's a sure fire way to get her to crawl back inside herself. She hasn't said a single word to me for a while though. She hasn't said anything to anyone for ages.

We fall into a comfortable silence every night as I drive on and on. When I'm bored of driving I pull onto the hard shoulder and turn the engine off so that I can look at her. It's not like I do look at her but if I want to I can stare at her all I like.

She's fallen asleep with her head against the window so I just stay sat where I am for the moment as I light a cigarette. I let the smoke infiltrate my lungs and wonder how I ever got onto these things. They aren't good for me, they don't make me look good and to be honest they really do stink; not that I can notice the smell as much because my senses have dulled to it. They do make me feel good though. I'm calmed and slightly mellowed and the stresses of everything around me doesn't get to me half as much. I should probably quit but I don't have a reason to. So this is another day after my admission to Yoshino that I love her and we still haven't gotten any further than that first kiss and a cuddle here and there. Praise the lord. At least she isn't shouting at me constantly anymore. I quite like us being like this. I don't have to take her innocence and she doesn't get jealous because she knows that I love her (even though I don't love her in the way that she wants). What am I going to do when she does want to take it further though? I could always chop my right hand off, and my tongue. That would mean that I can't do anything, but I don't much fancy the idea of amputation. The things that run through my mind would get me into a lot of trouble if everyone else could see them.

I stand up and turn around to see if everyone else is okay. They all look comfortable. Youko is asleep where she was with the two little ones. Every night she has told them a story either from her first year of school when she met her Onee-Sama or from when the rest of us were around to create havoc. Shimako is asleep with Noriko on her lap. Kanata is asleep on her own, Sachiko and Yumi have their heads together and look quite peaceful and then there's Yoshino and Arty. I'm not surprised to see that my younger cousin is asleep in the older woman's arms. I'm not jealous or surprised. For the past few nights they have slept just like this and I'm slightly relieved to be honest. Everytime we stop at a service station they go off together chatting away and Arty often buys Yoshino's breakfast even though I made sure that my little cousin has enough money for anything she wants. She's getting to know the woman really well and because Arty is quite a bit older than her she's getting a mature persons point of view on her opinions. The way they are slept doesn't look very innocent to me though. Yoshino is holding Arty's hands to her stomach underneath her new tank top that has turned into a bed top instead of a going out top.

They all look comfortable so I sit back down and look at Sei who seems to be struggling in her sleep. She's only been asleep an hour if that. How can she be having a nightmare already? Sei has nightmares? I throw my finished cigarette out of the window and move to stand in front of her. I gently shake her shoulders and she jumps out of her dream and her seat at the same time. Our heads clash and I swear at her as we hold the sore spots.

She opens her mouth and then closes it again so I give her the okay sign as I rub the small bump on my head.

"I'm sorry Sei. You looked like you were having a bad dream." I say and she shrugs at me.

I sit down at her side and we catch each others eyes. I don't know why but I'm drawn into her. We haven't been this close for days, and the first time we are, our lips meet and I actually feel my heart speed up a little. Her cold hand comes up to my cheek and she takes the kiss into something it's never been with us. Tender and sweet with a longing that I don't understand but I'm not scared of. I'm not drunk and this isn't like the kiss we shared in the windowsill, except from it being an unstoppable occurrence. She doesn't pull away this time. She deepens it and I moan softly as I feel her tongue against mine.

"Hmmm." I hear her breath come out as an equal moan to my own. When we finally pull apart we sit there staring into each others eyes asking questions without words. Questions like... What's going on with us... and... Why does it feel so good to kiss you when it didn't feel that good with Yoshino?

"Your hands are always cold." She whispers to me as she holds them with her own. She looks surprised at hearing her own voice.

"So are yours." I whisper back and my dream hits me once again. Cold hands mean a warm heart? I want to find out if that theory is true. But then I already know that it is because she has the biggest warmest heart out of us all, even if it's the most scared heart.

"Maybe we should start to wear gloves." I smile and she smiles back at me. We're still within inches of each others lips and her eyes keep dropping to mine.

"What's happening Rei?" She whispers and I look back up to her eyes.

"I don't know. Is it a bad thing?" I ask and her eyes become sad.

"I don't know." She says and I pull away from her properly.

"We don't have to talk about it. I don't know if there's actually anything to talk about to be honest." I say as I lean back in the seat. She keeps a hold of my right hand as she does the same.

"Rei..." She says my name and then sighs as she looses the rest of her words. She moves and straddles my thighs and I just look up at her in shock. It seems very familiar to the way Youko sat a few nights ago, before she started... that night was a lot of fun. Her free hand comes to my face carefully and she smiles softly.

"We're best friends right?" She asks me and I smile at her.

"Of course." I say and she smiles back at me.

"Will we always be best friends?" She asks and I frown a little. What exactly is she asking me?

"Well..." How do I answer this question?

"I don't understand what you're asking me." I say and she nods at me.

"If anything bad happens between us, will we always be there for each other if we need it?" She asks and I grin at her as I nod.

"Sure... You can always count on me to be there for you." I say and she sighs a little.

"Even if I kiss you and mean it as more than us just been friends?" She asks me as she looks down at where her hand is joined with mine.

"Are you going to?" I ask her and she shrugs. I feel like we're pussy footing around each other like a couple of kids.

"I said I'll always be your best friend Sei. No matter what happens between us. But I need time to figure out what I'm doing. I have Yoshino and the last thing I want to do in the world is hurt you _**here**_ because of it." I whisper as I place my hand above her left breast to her heart. She gives me a delicate smile that will surely break if I say anything more to her.

"You don't love Youko do you?" She asks me and I shake my head at her.

"No I don't. I don't love Youko or Kanata." I say and her eyes widen slightly. She caught the fact that I didn't mention her name when I was saying who I don't love. She looks like she wants to ask me something else but she doesn't know how to put it. I sit here patiently waiting for her to find her words and she finally looks into my eyes.

"If Yoshino decides that she wants to be with someone else. If she decides that she just wants you to be her friend. How would you feel?" She asks me. It isn't the question I'm expecting. I thought she was going to ask me if I love her.

"I..." I stop as I think about how I would feel about it. I wouldn't feel that bad about it. If she is to be happy with somebody else then I would be happy for her. It would save me from taking her innocence from her. I've done what she wanted from me and gave her, her first kiss. I've admitted my emotions to her even though they aren't real and she seems happy with that. She hasn't pushed me for anything more than that and I'm more than a little glad of that.

"I wouldn't be upset if that's what you're asking me." I say and she nods at me.

"And what if I said that I no longer want to be anything but a friend without the other things?" She says and I look at her as if she is asking me to give up my whole lifestyle.

"I... It would hurt I think." I whisper.

"You're not going to ask me that are you?" I ask and she lets go of me.

"I think that... until you know what you want... we should just be normal friends." She says and I was right. It does hurt but it's what she wants. Normal friends? I can do that can't I? No making out with her, or sleeping with her even if I'm drunk? It can't be that hard can it?

"If that's what you want then we can do that." I say and she gives me a weak glimmer of a smile.

"It isn't what I want but it's what I need right now." She whispers before kissing my cheek. She gets up and walks down the isle to where Kanata is sleeping. She stops and looks at her before going to the very back of the bus and lying down on the back seat. It isn't like I've lost anything. She's still my best friend. I get back into the driving seat and drive through the rest of the night.

**Sei's POV**

**Guts and faith**

So I finally got my voice back after a week, and I get up the guts to tell her how I feel. Not that I actually tell her that I love her, because I catch her eyes, and, for some reason she became drawn into me. The kiss; I don't think I have ever shared something like that with anyone. She loves me too. I know that now and if I'd said something sooner we could be a couple. Instead I waited until it was too late and now she is thinking about Yoshino. Oh how I hate that girl. I could have so easily told Rei that I had seen her kissing Arty but then... That would have seemed like I was trying to pull them apart. If my heart is worth anything to her she will figure it out for herself right? I hope so because if not... I don't think that I will ever be able to look at her again. I'm going to do fine. I have faith in her and that takes a lot for me to admit. I lie down on the back seat and drift off into what resembles sleep.

R&R please


	17. Chapter 17

**Apply usual disclaimers here**

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**Rei's POV**

**It's a black and white rose day**

"Shouldn't we wake Sei up?" Noriko asks Shimako and I turn my head to see her sleeping peacefully on the back seat. She looks so tranquil that it'd be a crime to wake her.

"Let her sleep she's had a bit of a bad night." I say to Noriko and they all look at me funny. It has been the same answer to whoever asked the question for the past four days.

"Did you's have an argument? You never talk to each other anymore and you don't even look at each other." Youko says to me and I get a nasty taste in my mouth.

"Just leave it. It doesn't concern you." I say in a tone that is harsher than I thought it would be.

"Must be a lovers tiff." Yoshino says and I feel my face slipping. I turn away from them and get off of the bus. I don't need them acting like busy bodies with me today, or any other day for that matter. I walk into the shop and grab a load of things for my breakfast and buy some more cigarettes before going back to the bus. The others are on their way either, into the shop or, into the rest room when I get on the mini bus. There's just me and Sei, on our own, and she isn't even conscious. I look out of the front window and see Yoshino and Arty smiling at each other before they go their separate ways. I'd actually be quite happy for them to get together to be honest. I know it sounds stupid after all of the drama that has been going on with us lately but I wouldn't mind. I'd still have my innocent Yoshino which is all I ever wanted. I swallow my rice cake without bothering to taste what flavour it is. It doesn't have a distinctive taste except... It's like ash in my mouth. I watch as Yoshino comes out of the restroom and waits outside the store for Arty. Yumi and Sachiko come out first though and, I can almost see the disappointment on her face as they stop and talk to her. Youko comes out of the store with Arty and Yoshino's eyes light up. I don't even feel a little pang of jealousy towards it. I study the scene as Arty passes Yoshino some food and a small carton of milk. She's bought Yoshino's breakfast again? That's kind of her. I see the other Chinensis looking at the two together, and then they look at each other and shrug, as Yoshino and Arty make their way back to the bus. I'm almost wishing that they do get together because, then I can give Sei what she wants. She wants someone that is in love with only her, instead of being in love with her and someone else; or not even being in love with her at all. I just realised that I mentioned being in love with her. Didn't I once say that I would never get into something as complicated as this? I'm in love with Sei. It doesn't sound too bad. I've been trying to say it to myself for well over a week, or maybe even longer, maybe since we first got drunk and slept together and she couldn't remember it. However long I have been hiding from it; it feels nice to finally admit it to myself.

I've been staring at the map for the past half hour trying to figure out where we should go. We never actually figured out a destination before we set off. Our plan had been to pick Youko and Eriko up. After that the plan became undone. We aren't that far from a beach, Sei was brainy enough to pack camping equipment in case we needed it, and we brought plenty of money with us, so we should be fine. Petrol money and food money aside, I could probably splurge out on another hotel or something for one night but I don't really want to do that to be honest.

"Decided on a destination yet?" Sei asks me and I shrug. The others are all watching us as if they are trying to figure out what is going on with us. They've been doing it for the past week which is about as long as we have been weird around each other. When Sei had woken up, Youko had asked her outright and got a less than polite response from the oldest Gigantea. We haven't been avoiding each other but everytime we get close it hurts. I can see it in her eyes and I can feel it inside me. So instead we end up keeping our distance. She talks to me but it's from a few seats back so that she doesn't have to look into my eyes.

"We can go to the beach today so the little ones can have some fun there. I could sure do with relaxing at the moment as well so it's a plus. After that though, I'm stumped." I say. Shimako comes to stand at my side and she looks at the map.

"Is this the beach you are talking about?" She asks me as she points to a spot on the map. I nod at her and watch her finger trail up a road on the map.

"If we go up this road, it will lead us to a temple in the woodland. There's a great waterfall just a bit further up from the temple." She says and I look up at her to give her a grin.

"Who'd have thought temple hopping would be fun?" I ask and she smiles at me.

"Okay guys we have a destination." I say to them and look around at the others as they all nod. I get the engine going and start driving. Shimako goes to sit next to Sei and Kanata joins me at the front. She tries to touch my cheek but for some reason I flinch away from her.

"I'm sorry but can we not do this today?" I ask and she pulls away from me and just sits staring at me. Don't tell me I've upset her now.

"You haven't let anyone touch you since you and Sei started acting strange." She says and takes in a deep breath before looking at me again.

"Did Sei tell you about what's happening after this trip?" She asks me.

"Yeah, she said. I would have preferred to hear it from you though." I say to her as I pull the mini bus off of the highway.

"I'm sorry if I upset you." Her voice is so quiet. I turn to her and give her a smile before turning back to the road.

"I'm gonna miss you but I'll live. You'll only be a phone call away so it isn't that bad Kanata." I say and she nods at me.

"I'm going to miss you too. It's a pity we never actually fell properly for each other." She smiles and I just stare blankly at the windshield. I don't think I could handle falling for her as well.

"Did I ever tell you that I'm stupidly attracted to your body?" I ask her with a grin and she chuckles at me.

"A few times." She smiles.

"So are you moving in with Sei?" She asks me and I shut right up as I grumble. Everyone behind us shut up at her words and are now listening to us. I hate them all today.

"You're moving in with Sei?" Yoshino asks me and Youko starts badgering Sei about it. Question after question bombards us both and my temper starts to boil under the surface. If they don't shut up they are going to see just how unladylike I can be.

"Will you talk to me?" Yoshino growls at me but I stay silent as I try to concentrate on the road.

"Rei...!" She shouts and I hit the mini bus's horn.

"Will you shut the fuck up for once?!" I shout and they all fall silent again.

"It is none of any of yours business so keep your traps shut and stop badgering us." I growl and carry on down the road. I take in a deep breath and count to ten but it isn't working anymore. It usually works to calm me down but it isn't. I notice Kanata stand up and move to where the others are sat and Sei sits down where she had been.

"Will you calm down?" She asks me in a low voice and I grit my teeth.

"I'm trying." I grumble and she actually smiles at me. What the hell does she have to smile about?

"It's hard isn't it?" She whispers. What's hard; calming down or not being able to be with her? I should have taken my own advice and stayed out of something this complicated, but I love her. God damn it why did Yoshino have to get me to say yes to her?

"What's hard?" I ask her and she looks down at the floor.

"This whole thing."

"Yeah, it's stupidly hard. Idiotically hard and complicated and it hurts." I whisper and I see her nod out of the corner of my eye.

"We're so fucked." She mutters and I actually laugh at her. She seems to have a talent for under stating things.

"I think we're bumming out the others."

"Bumming out? Yeah that sounds ladylike." I say and she looks up at me with a smile. Her eyes are so pail and they are begging me to make a move. This is the real Sei. The heart felt Sei and I want to kiss her. I want to hold her and kiss her but we both know that it isn't going to happen. Her pail orbs become clouded as her smile falters and her expression becomes sad. Smile Sei... please for all that is good in the world smile for me... even if it's fake just please show me something that isn't those sad eyes. I think to myself as I drag my eyes away from hers. We sit there in silence just staring out of the front window. I can feel the others eyes on us even though they are chatting away to each other. A single tear slides down my cheek and my breath shudders slightly but I make sure that the others don't notice it. Please don't let them notice it. If I'm being honest it isn't Sei that is complicating this. It's me. It's me because I have Yoshino and I'm a fucking idiot.

"Is that the beach?" I hear Lily-Chan's excited voice and Youko answers her.

"It must be. Look at that ocean." Youko breaths and even I'm caught off guard by the beauty of the sun reflecting off of the vast expanse of water. I find a parking spot and the others jump off of the bus. Sei sits there for a moment but I try not to pay attention to her as I wipe my eyes. I draw in a shaky breath and release it slowly as she turns to look at me. I turn a little and see the redness around her eyes. She's been crying too? I made her cry? _Make me numb again please. I beg whatever made me numb in the first place... don't let me feel this. I don't want to feel this._ I get up and straddle her waist as I fling my arms around her neck and hold her as tight as I can without causing her pain. I feel her arms snake around me and her chest jerk slightly.

"I'm sorry." I whisper as I hold onto her for dear life.

"Don't be. I'm sort of used to falling for women that I can't have." She whispers and I start to cry again. I want her. I want every aspect of her.

"Sei..." I want to tell her that she can have me, but then that would be wrong of me because she can't. Not unless I finish Yoshino.

"It hurts." I whisper and she chokes on a laugh.

"I know." She whispers back.

"Why does it have to be this complicated?" I ask as I pull away from her slightly and wipe my eyes. I see the tears falling from her eyes and an ache courses through my veins. I cup her cheek and kiss her tears away. It just causes more to fall though. The others all jump back into the van with their bathing suits to get changed and we pull away from each other so fast that the blood rushes to my head. I somehow end up on the floor. I get to my feet as Yoshino steps in front of me.

"Don't touch me." I growl as she reaches out to touch me. A sob escapes me as I wipe my eyes and walk to the door.

"What have you done to her?" I hear Yoshino shout at Sei and I catch the sob that escapes Sei. I stop at the door wanting to go back and make everything okay. Instead I force myself off of the bus and go down to the beach to hide away from it all. I've complicated everything by falling in love with her. I've complicated everything and now I'm loosing my best friend. I don't know why I had to fall for her. Now I'm so confused and I have no idea what to do. I love her and she loves me so why is it so hard? I'm not a stupid kid that thinks it will all run smoothly with just love, but I thought that true love would be a little bit simpler than this. I don't love Yoshino like this. I don't love her to the point of being sad at not being able to kiss her. True love... Is that what this is? It can't be that true if it's making us both cry like this. I sit on the beach and cover my head with my arms as I try to control the tears. I give up on that as fast as I tried to stop them though and just let them fall. I cry out right with sobs and sniffles that I know aren't attractive in any way at all. My mobile starts ringing and I pick it out of my pocket to see who is ringing me.

"Hello..." I say as I answer it.

"You won't hit me if I come to sit with you will you?" Sachiko asks.

"No, I won't hit you."

"Good because I'm coming over even if you do try to wallop me one." She says and hangs up. A few moments later she lowers herself to the beach at my side. She's wearing an all in one black bathing suit. As conservative as ever I see.

"You don't half get yourself into some right messes Rei-San." She observes and I turn to look at her.

"I notice that bit Sachiko."

"So you're in love with her?" She asks me and I nod.

"More than you are Yoshino?" I nod again.

"So what are you going to do?"

"If I knew the answer to that, then I wouldn't be in this state Sachiko. You know all that stuff I said, about me being too young to be tied down? It suddenly all seems like bollocks because I want to be tied to Sei."

"Do you have any idea how long she has loved you?" Sachiko asks in a whisper of a voice and I shrug. Sachiko knew? Then again Sachiko always knows.

"She said that she loves me. Well she said that she wanted to be more than just my friend and the other things." I say and she nods.

"You need to finish Yoshino. It isn't right to keep her holding on to something that isn't true." She says and I wish it was all, that simple.

"I don't want to hurt her." I whisper and Sachiko gives me a warm friendly smile.

"You don't want to hurt anyone but you can't make everyone happy. You'll drive yourself crazy." She says to me. This all sounds very familiar to me. I think she might have said it before... Or someone else said something very similar to me.

"I want Sei. Everytime I look at her I get this feeling inside me and, I don't understand it at all, but it's nice. I'm hurting her because I'm so fucking stupid and let Yoshino have her own way." I curse myself and she tells me off for it. She always was so proper, even if she said that she wanted nothing more, than to be a normal girl.

"Like I said; you need to talk to Yoshino. I know she thinks she loves you and on a level you love her, but I think you would both be happier apart. She's young and she'll get over it. Sei however, has had more than enough pain and I think that you could really be the one for her." She says and I nod. I want to be the one for her. I want to be everything for her. Sachiko is quiet for a while as she looks out at the sea before she turns her head to look at me.

"Don't tell anyone this... not even Sei... but I know what she did for me. She could have easily taken Yumi from me but she didn't. Don't let her give up on another one Rei. Not when she means so much to you. I have a feeling neither of you can handle that pain." She says and I just stare at her. She had known? That was what she had meant when she said she owes Sei, more than she could ever repay her?

"Sei wasn't in love with Yumi, Sachiko; she just had a thing about her legs." I say and Sachiko smiles at me.

"I know. She could have easily taken Yumi from me for just her legs." Sachiko says and I chuckle. I sigh as I relax back and mull it all over in my mind.

"I'm going to leave it for a little while. I have a feeling that something will happen before too long that will make me realise what it is I have to do." I say and she shakes her head at me.

"You already know what you have to do. You're just being a pussy and won't do it." She says and I gawp at her as if she has just turned into a mutant.

"Did you just say pussy?" I ask her. She cocks her head to the side and raises an eyebrow at me.

"Did I? Hmm, oh well." She shrugs. Hadn't she realised what she was saying to me? She's a weird one.

"Well however you put it, you're a coward." She says and I nod at her. I'm not going to disagree with her when she is telling the truth.

"Go have some fun with the others whilst I think on the matter." I say and she stands up.

"I think you mean whilst you put off doing what you need to do." She gives me a final few words before walking away from me. She sure can be forward these days. I wonder just how she and Yumi were ever unsure about their feelings for each other. So I sit here on the beach and watch the younger ones frolic around in the water whilst the older ones sit close to the water and catch the sun. Youko looks stunning in her bikini and even Arty doesn't look half bad. Kanata must be in the mini bus still with Sei, because neither of them is out here. Shimako and Noriko are sat apart from the others, which is nothing new if I bother to think about it too much. Even Yoshino seems to be having fun as she splashes water at Aurora-Chan. So there is just me, Sei and Kanata that are missing out? Jesus I'm even hurting Kanata by my own stupidity. Why can't Sei just take a stand and... I so need to shut up. Sei has never been the type of person to take something that by all rights belongs to someone else. I belong to Yoshino? Yeah, well that makes me sound like an independent being. I need my head screwing on right. I watch as Yoshino gets out of the water and sits down on her own away from the others. So she isn't having fun? Arty stands up and says something to Youko before going to sit with Yoshino. Is she going to make her move on my cousin? They are sat a good few inches apart and seem to be talking like friends. Maybe that's all they are. Hold up... Am I waiting for Yoshino to dump me? How much of a child am I?

"Yoshino...!" I shout and she turns her head to me. I waft my hand at her signalling for her to come join me. She looks at Arty and says something before standing up and walking away from her new found friend. She sits down in front of me and gives me a weak smile.

"Are you going to tell me to stay away from Arty-San?" She asks me. The way Arty's name sounds with the honorific on the end is just plain weird. Artisan... isn't that an actual word?

"What...? Erm no, I wasn't actually. I don't mind you and Arty. I was erm..." Okay so how exactly do I do this? I've never actually dumped anyone before. I usually just "forget" to ring them back.

"What's going on with you and Sei-Sama?" She asks me and I close up. I can feel the sadness welling up inside me again. This sucks big time. What do I...?

"The truth would be nice." She says and I grimace.

"I..." My voice turns to a whisper and she gives me a funny look.

"I've fallen in love with her." Did I say it or was that just my imagination? I'm not saying it again so she'd better not ask me what.

"So then what do you want me for?" She asks. She doesn't look sad at all but... boy... does she look angry or what? Should I be upset at that?

"I think that... can we...?"

"Rei-San... Are you trying to dump me?" She asks and I nod meekly at her.

"No... You can't do that." She says and I just stare at her. I can't? Why not? Isn't it up to me who I date?

"Why can't we go back to being what we were?" I ask and she shakes her head at me with a nasty look in her eyes.

"I don't think that we'll ever get back what we had if you finish this Rei. You're mine, you'll always be mine. That's what you said to me. You'll always be there for me." She says but I shake my head.

"I _will_ always be there, but I am not your property Yoshino. I am my own woman and I never did like you telling me what I can and can't do." I say as I get to my feet. She jumps up and grabs my wrist as she looks up at me. Why are there tears in her eyes? I know that she doesn't love me. She just proved that by saying that I am hers. I'm not her property.

"Please Rei don't... I want you." She's pleading with me not to dump her? We've only been going out a week or so. What is she doing?

"You can't do this to me." She sobs as I try to pull away from her.

"Let go of me Yoshino. I don't want to be your girlfriend. I want to be your cousin." I try to get away from her but she holds my wrist tighter as she yanks at it.

"No... Don't do this to me."

"Get off." I say and try to push her. How had it come to this? I didn't think it would be this hard to get it over with. I didn't think that she would react like this. It's beyond stupid if you ask me. She's acting like a child with me.

"Yoshino you aren't being fare with me." I shout at her. The others are all looking up at us now and I notice that Arty is watching me with angry eyes.

"I don't care." Yoshino sobs and yanks my arm. I use her own momentum to push her away from me and she falls to the sand.

"You should care. I'm doing this for both of are sakes. I don't love you Yoshino and I know that you don't love me. You want to own me but... I'm not a doll. I'm sick of hurting myself just to make you happy." I say to her. I have to push her back again to stop her from taking hold of me again and, before I understand it Arty is between us with a horrid look on her face. This has nothing to do with her so why is she getting involved?

"What's with the face?" I ask her and she sneers at me.

"You need to grow up kid. You think you can go around tearing hearts out as if they don't mean anything?" She asks me and I just stare at her.

"What are you talking about? Jesus, do you think I am doing this because I like seeing her like this?"

"I know your game. She's told me all about how you say no, and then let her think that you want her before, pushing her away again. You're the worst kind and you don't deserve her." Arty growls at me and I'm so stumped that I just stand there sucking on the inside of my cheek as I consider what I am meant to say to that.

"You really need to get your facts sorted out. For one thing I was always the one that was there for her, and I have never tried to hurt her with anything. She has always been given everything she has ever wanted from me, so don't come preaching as if I'm in the wrong." I start off talking in a calm voice but it somehow ends up in a growl.

"You don't even know us so keep out of it."

"I know Yoshino." She retorts and I start to tap my foot as my anger comes to the front.

"Obviously you don't." I say and she raises an eyebrow as if she is daring me to carry on with my words.

"I think you know what she has told you. That doesn't mean you know her."

"Are you calling her a liar now?" She asks. Her eyes would be red if they truly conveyed what stage of anger she's in.

"I guess I am. Jeez you need to reel your neck in. Do you want to know the truth Arty? Everything I have done is to make her happy. I was always the perfect big sister for her. I caught her when she fell, I protected her when she was too weak to do it herself, I stayed with her every time she was too ill to get out of bed, and I was always there to pick up the pieces. Damn it, even when I was trying to find myself I was making her feel good, instead of looking out for myself. I said yes to her because, I was sick of the badness between us. I shut off what I truly felt for the woman I love, because I didn't want Yoshino to be upset. I'm sick of putting her feelings first. I want a bit of happiness this time. I want to have a loving relationship, instead of being owned, by a girl that thinks it is okay to lash out if things don't go her way. I'm sick of it all, and if my happiness means no longer being friends with Yoshino, then so be it. I'm not her little pet on a tight leash. I am my own person, and I will do what feels right for me." I end up shouting a stupidly long rant at her and everyone is staring at me now. I don't care. They can think I am a heartless bitch for all I care. I just want Sei.

"You took care of her? You don't even look as if you can take care of yourself." Arty says and I'm struck dumb.

"Hey now that is out of order Arty." Youko says and Arty turns to look at her.

"Why is it? Look at her, she's a mess. She's a drunk and a slut. Jeez, I bet the only reason you are all sticking up for her is because she's giving it to you. We all know that you had a bit of her Youko." Arty rips my name to pieces in front of everyone and I just stand there silently.

"You don't know what you're talking about Arty." Aurora-Chan steps up to defend me but I shake my head at her.

"She's right." I say and they all turn to look at me.

"I am a drunk and I have slept around a lot. The thing is Arty... It's all down to experience and it's my way of getting to know how the world works. I don't need your opinion on how I've treated Yoshino in the past though. I _know_ that I was always the one that was there for her. I don't need you to clarify that for me. The people who matter to me know and you're not one of them." I say quietly and she looks as if she has won something.

"If you'll excuse me... I have to go mend some bridges." I say as I turn my back on them.

"Rei..." Yoshino says but it's Youko that answers her.

"Pick yourself up woman. You're meant to be a rose." She says in a harsh tone and I turn back to them.

"Youko... Don't take that tone with her. Just leave her alone." I say and Youko steps back with an apologetic look on her beautiful face.

"You can look after her." I say to Arty with a smile.

"The rest of you can... give them some space." I say to the other roses and they all nod before walking away from us. I look down at Yoshino's pleading eyes one last time before walking away from them. I step onto the bus and Kanata looks up at me but Sei doesn't notice me. If she had she wouldn't have carried on speaking.

"I just wish for once that I didn't fall for someone that has a love for someone else. Shiori left me for god, I never had a chance with Yumi because of Sachiko and I can't have Rei because she's in love with Yoshino. Why can't I be Yoshino hay?" She almost makes a joke.

"If you were Yoshino then I'd have just dumped you." I say out loud and Sei's head spins round so fast it reminds me a little of the exorcist. Kanata stands up and I move so that she can get off of the bus. She shuts the door behind her and goes to join the others.

"Rei...?"

"Let me finish Sei... I love you, not Yoshino or anything else. I want you. I want to be with you." I say and she looks away from me.

"Don't joke with me Rei." She says and I move to kneel on the floor in front of her so that I can look into her pail eyes.

"I'm not joking. If you want me I'm all yours." I say and she closes her eyes. Please open them Sei. I want to see your eyes. Let me look at them so I can see if I'm wasting my words.

"You don't love anyone else?" She asks me the world's dumbest question, but I know that she needs an honest answer.

"Just you." I whisper.

"I fell out with god, I don't have a thing for posh snobs, and I'm not in love with my cousin... In fact after the way we just broke up I don't think we'll even be friends again... there's just you." I say and I see her eyes. Those beautiful grey orbs that are watering up again. I put my hand to her cheek and she leans into it.

"Please don't cry." I whisper.

"Cry...? Me...? Who's ever heard of something so unlikely?" She jokes but the tears are falling down her cheeks as she says it. I straddle her thighs and hold her to me. I let her cry on my shoulder even though I don't know why she is crying. I thought she would be happy. Isn't she happy?

"Stop crying Sei... please?" I plead with her.

"I can't... The taps won't work." She says to me and I stroke the back of her neck as her breath shudders a little.

"You dumped Yoshino?" She asks.

"Yeah and it wasn't a pretty sight either. I'm sort of glad you didn't see it." I say to her.

"Was it really that bad?" She asks me and I nod my head at her.

"Are you happy Sei?" I ask her and she nods at me.

"Then why the tears?"

"I think it's just shock and relief. I thought you were going to be just another one of my failed attempts." She says and I lean back so that I can look into her eyes. I wipe her tears away with my thumbs and I'm not shocked when I'm drawn into her this time. I love her. I'm in love with her... I'm in love with Satou Sei. Yeah that most definitely sounds better than anything that has ran through my head since November. She pulls away from me and gives me a real smile.

"Does this mean that you'll move in with me?" She asks and I shrug at her.

"I think, we should talk about it when we get home so that, we aren't worrying about things when we're here okay?" I ask her. She gives me a weird look and then nods as if she is putting some faith in me. I'm not going to hurt her anymore. She can have whatever she wants from me, I'm just sick of thinking about things at the moment. I need something that doesn't take much thinking about... so I kiss her. I look into her eyes and lift her chin slightly so that her lips meet mine. I close my eyes and feel her push up to me as she opens her mouth a little. Our tongues intertwine, feeling each other tentatively as our hands hold each other. This is us as a couple. This is us being real. Satou Sei is my girlfriend and, I love her and, if I don't stop kissing her soon I'm going to end up undressing her. This must be what is meant by the word passion. Yeah I'm feeling it. I deepen the kiss and she moans against my lips as her cold hand goes up my shirt. I feel it against my stomach and then in my bra. I feel it against my left breast... playing with the nipple that is immediately stiff for her. Her other hand is behind my head pulling me into the kiss that I started. I'm aching but it is in the nicest way possible. I can feel the dampness at my core as I momentarily pull away from her. I put my hand to her cheek and smile sweetly at her as I put my forehead to hers.

"I love you." I whisper and her eyes melt me.

"I love you too." She whispers back to me before kissing me again.

**R&R.**

**Oh and the dumping scene isn't from experiance so anyone that has witnessed something or experianced something like that please tell me if I got it right. And I'm sorry if you think that I am putting them all through too much.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Usual disclaimers go here...**

****

**Sei's POV**

**Fluff**

I can't believe we are like this. Laid in this confined tent, we are naked and spent and instead of the laughter that takes over us when we are drunk there is... such sweetness in her beautiful eyes. I'm laid on top of her beautifully nude body tracing invisible lines of nothingness as she holds onto me. It's such a trivial thing, us, laid like this, not saying anything much to each other; it's such a beautiful thing, even if it is the smallest thing.

"Sei...?" She asks as she places her hands behind her head and looks up at the ceiling of the tent. I trail my eyes down her jaw line and her neck to her collar bone. She's so lean and muscled in all the right areas. She's so stunning. I prop myself up and look down into her eyes as I wonder what is going through her mind.

"Do you think that the others will be asleep now?" She shifts her wait below me and rubs her left foot down my calf as she smiles.

"I don't know... Why what do you have in mind?" I ask as I smile down at her. I run my fingertips through her hair as she licks her lips.

"I fancy going for a swim. The water looked so nice before you kidnapped me." She says and I grin like a buffoon.

"Why would the others need to be asleep if all you want to do is swim?" I ask and she smiles. My eyes close of their own accord as she trails a solitary fingertip down my spine. I lean my head forward and our noses touch as she chuckles with such a gentle tone.

"I can't be bothered with finding my bathing suit." She says. It's such a simple thing yet, the thought of water dripping off of her naked body... Am I, or am I not the luckiest woman alive right now? I kiss the tip of her nose before moving away from her and poking my head out of the flap. Moonlight is illuminating the entire area, and bouncing off of the plunge pool, in what has to be the most romantic setting ever. Someone remind me to thank Shimako for pointing this area out to Rei. I look at the tents that are dotted around the serene backdrop, but all of the lanterns are off. I can't hear anything except a few crickets making there little chirping noises nearby and the sound of the water crashing monotonously into the plunge pool. They must have all fallen asleep. I turn my head and smile at Rei who seems to be preoccupied with looking at my butt.

"I think they're all asleep." I whisper and she nods.

"I thought they might be." She says before passing me her phone. I look at the time and smile. The sun will be coming up soon. Were we really at it that long? The first time I've ever made love, instead of it just being sex, and it was with Rei.

"Come on then, get you're ass moving." She says and I grin at her before wiggling out of the tent. I step away from the flap so that she can get out. I hate to admit this but... this all seems very fluffy. It's a nice change to be honest. Well it was fluffy up until she stood up and I saw her body drenched in moonlight. The fluff ran away with a mysterious stranger right there and then as my mind got sidetracked onto the one thing that usually gets me into trouble.

"Rei...? Do you shave or wax?" I ask as I hold her from behind. She leans into the hold and relaxes against me as she gives a little light laughter.

"You're so crude." She whispers to me and I agree with her totally.

"So which is it? Are you going to let me in on your secret to getting it so smooth?" I ask with a grin as I feel the heat coming off of her cheeks.

"Honestly?" She turns around in my arms and takes my hand and directs it to her core. My eyes are wide with shock as she slips my index finger and middle finger along her outer lips right next to the entrance to her... Oh my god I'm going to burn in hell and I don't care.

"I wax that bit." She whispers and I nod like a dumb chimp.

"And the rest of it doesn't need anything doing to it because it never grows hair." She says and my mind fucks off into the stratosphere. She only has hair that grows on that little strip?

"Does that answer you with enough detail?" She purrs against my ear and what little control I had disappears with my mind. I smile as I look at her with only my basic instinct in mind. I'm going to make her wake the others up. Hey wait... what the... why is she walking away from me? Hold up a second, I'm meant to be seducing her... She can't walk away when I'm trying to have my wicked way. Crap; she dove into the water. I walk to the edge of the plunge pool and watch her swimming just below the surface. Her body looks so white with the moon shining down on her. She almost looks like a ghost; an extremely beautiful ghost. I dip my toe into the water to test the temperature and shiver. It's freezing. Oh well it won't be so bad when my body gets used to it. I lower myself into it just as Rei resurfaces. Water is dripping down her body in rivulets from her hair. It's running down between her breasts, over her hardened stomach and between her legs as she stands on a ledge on the edge of the pool.

"Sei you're gonna..." She tries to warn me but it's too late and I loose my balance. I hit the water with a splash and start spluttering around as I try to regain my composure. _Smooth going you soave thing._ I torment myself as I finally right myself, just to hear her laughing at me.

"What are you laughing at?" I ask but I can't keep the grin off of my own face. Acting irritated with her never did work with me. She always makes me smile unless I am honestly irritated.

"You're such a duffus." She smiles at me and I nod back at her.

"I know, I think I might have been dropped on my head as a baby." I joke and she shakes her head in disbelief as she slips back into the water and joins me.

"I think you mean; you were dropped on your head repeatedly as a child. Not just once. By the way the wet and flustered look really suits you." She says and I smile at her.

"Haven't you been telling me that for a while now?" I ask her and she nods. A comfortable silence drifts over us as we lie on our backs in the pool and look up at the starry sky. I don't think I have ever seen such an amazing place. Lillian; with all of its ginko trees, stunning architecture and life, doesn't compare in anyway to the serenity and dazzling beauty that this place gives. It evokes a sense of peace that, drags you in, and makes you forget that, out there, past the woods and the temple, is a road, and a town and past that, there's a city and even more are further a field than that. I hope that Shimako gets enough of this place on her camcorder so that I can always have something from this place. A bird's song catches my ear and I find myself reaching out for Rei's hand. I sigh at how the slender appendage fits so well in my hand and how they are matching in their coldness.

"This place is amazing." I whisper so as not to disrupt the peace.

"I kinda wish that the rest of Japan was like this. It's so different from the lights and sounds of the city." She whispers back and I agree in my own silent way by squeezing her hand gently. I feel her move at my side and I turn my head to see her looking at me with those beautiful honest eyes of hers. I could loose myself in them. I could but I don't want to because... if I loose myself in her eyes then, I won't be able to take notice of what is going on around us. I shift so that I'm treading water just like she is and she smiles at me.

"I want to etch this moment into my mind." She whispers. How is she going to do that? Does she have a photographic memory or something? Who am I kidding? I don't think I'm ever going to forget this night. The beauty and the circumstances of this night... even the day... it's branded upon my soul forever. I wrap my arms around her as her body comes into contact with mine. She kisses me with such a tender slowness that my eyes close and everything in my mind hums. I don't think that I am ever going to get tired of kissing her. Not if she keeps being like this with me. I feel the rock ledge behind me and pull myself up onto it as she stops kissing me for a moment. She pushes me back so that I'm laid half in the water and half out of it, so that all I can see is her and the sky changing colour above her. Her face is shaded by the lack of light and her hair is hanging loose around her head with drips splashing down around me.

"Rei...?" I whisper and she leans in slowly, purposefully allowing me to revel in the feel of her breasts pressing down against my own before she kisses me. Our mouths open a little at the same time to allow our tongues access to each other. It only serves to make my blood race through me as I move my hands to her hips and hold onto them. I feel her hip bones below my thumbs, the way they jut out in the most perfect way possible and direct me straight to her core. Then again, in my eyes everything directs me there. I slip my hands around to the small of her back and then further down to her rump. Her lips trail down my jaw to my neck, down over my collar bone to my breasts. I push myself up slightly and cup her head as I realise exactly what it is that makes her different to any other woman that I have slept with. She's taking her time with me instead of rushing to the end. Her hands are never off of me. They're either holding me or causing me pleasure and her lips are always kissing me whether it be my lips or my breast or any bit of naked flesh that they can. Our body's never actually loose contact and, more often than not, they end up moving together, in a tuneless rhythm that provides an intimacy that I have never experienced with anyone else. The thing is; I do the exact same thing to her and I haven't ever done it like this with anyone other than her.

"Are you two getting out of your pit this morning?" Kanata sticks her head through the flap just to get sneezed on by Rei.

"Gee thanks for that." Kanata grumbles as she looks over us.

"You look dreadful. What happened to you two?" She asks and I grin through the cold in my bones.

"We stayed up a little bit too late and didn't get dry fast enough so I'm suffering the consequences." Rei grumbles and I giggle at her.

"Aww poor Rei needs looking after." I pull her back down and snuggle into her playfully as Kanata laughs at us.

"Sei... If we have any more sex I'm never going to get aroused ever again." Rei grumbles at me as she sniffles and I just chuckle.

"I somehow doubt that. We could always test your theory though. How does that sound?" I ask and she groans at me through a yawn.

"I would love to sleep with you Sei. Lay down close your eyes keep you mouth shut and go to sleep." She jokes with me and I grin like a crack pot who's just remembered where he hid his stash.

"You go to sleep I'm going to walk into town. I'm sure there's a pharmacy down there somewhere." I wriggle out of the sleeping bag and grab the spare one to wrap around her. She really does look under the weather. It was her fault though. It had been her idea to play in the pool at a god awful hour and it had been her idea to have sex in said pool... the first time. The rest of the night was mostly me because, let's face it... I like sex; a lot! I get dressed kiss Rei on the forehead and get out of the tent.

"Hey Sei...!" Noriko shouts me and I walk over to their tent to see what's up with her.

"Erm... you might want this tape." She says and hands me a tape for the camcorder.

"Why would I want it?" I ask as I turn it over in my hand.

"Well... because we left the camera filming last night to see if any animals would come to the pool." Noriko says and Shimako smiles at me as she steps past me to get to the little camp fire that Arty had built to cook breakfast on.

"We got footage of a very interesting breed of sloth." She says as she drops a load of wood next to the fire.

"Oh, don't tell me that infamous Sei was out on the loose again." I say in mock disbelief and she smiles.

"You've got it in one. I think the thing might be following us." Shimako says and starts humming the theme tune to the twilight zone. When did she get into watching American imports?

"It's a conspiracy." I chuckle.

"Does anyone need anything from town?" I ask and they all look up at me.

"Are you going in the bus?" Sachiko asks me and I shake my head.

"I figured I would save on fuel and have a jog down." I say and she nods at me.

"I'll come along if you fancy a bit of company." She says.

"Sure, I don't see why not."

"When did you two start being agreeable with each other?" Youko asks us and I grin at her.

"Since I stopped making improper advances on Yumi-Chan's non-existent behind." I grin and Sachiko shakes her head.

"You're so crass." She smiles.

"That's what Rei said last night when I asked her if she sha..."

"Sei, go to the pharmacy already and stop telling everyone our business." I hear Rei shout at me from the tent and I laugh. She has really good hearing even though she probably has her head covered with the sleeping bags.

"Come on..." I smile at Sachiko who looks so confused it just amuses me further. Sachiko fastens her trainers up we set off down the gentle slope towards the car park where the bus is parked so I can grab my wallet.

**Rei's POV**

**Colds are better with company**

I manage to get dressed and crawl out of the tent before Sei gets back from town. I feel shockingly crap this morning which sucks because I felt great last night. Who'd have thought that, the bum that is Satou Sei could be so active? She's such a pervert. I sit down next to the small campfire and all but hug myself to keep warm. I sneeze into my hands and get a lot of weird grossed out looks from my friends.

"What?" I ask them and most of them shake their heads as if they are saying "it doesn't matter" but I know it does. If it didn't matter then they wouldn't be looking at me like that.

"Are you sure you should be out of your tent?" Youko asks me and I smile the best I can before covering my mouth and nose and sneezing again. Youko grabs her handbag and pulls out a handkerchief for me. How many of these things does she have? Didn't I already use one the other day to catch my blood? I take it anyway and wipe my hands and my nose on it.

"From what we heard last night you shouldn't be able to move for at least a week." Kanata grins. If I wasn't so pail right now I would have been blushing. It seems that the blood wants to stay as far away from my face as it can though.

"You heard us?" I ask with my rough voice and they all nod except Yoshino and Arty who shake their heads. Yoshino I can understand not hearing us. Once she's asleep it takes a nuclear bomb to disturb her. Does Arty sleep like the dead as well?

"I'm surprised that the entire town didn't hear you." Yumi said with a smile.

"Sachiko's face was so red I'm shocked that you didn't see it glowing in the dark." She jokes and I cover my head as I try to sniff. My nose is blocked now... great stuff.

"I think Sei might have to soundproof her room if you're moving in with her." Kanata grins at me and I simply give her the middle finger treatment.

"I don't know if I am moving in with her yet. I don't want to get too comfortable around her." I say and they just give me dumb looks.

"What are you talking about?" Noriko asks me. I shake my head and then groan at the way it feels.

"She means that once you start living with someone, you start to pick up on their faults and then you slip into a comfortable grove. The sex goes out of the window and you end up spending your nights sat in front of the telly not making an effort in the relationship. It gets drab and ends up fizzling out." Kanata explains to them for me and I nod. I groan again and decide that this cold is worse than any hangover I have ever suffered from.

"That sounds bad. So how do you stop it from turning out like that?" Yumi asks and Kanata shrugs.

"My theory is, once she passes wind in front of you the relationship is over." She says and I blanch at the very thought of Sei breaking wind.

"That's okay then because ladies never pass wind in public." Youko says and I wonder what the hell is going on. We are talking about farts... how gross does this need to be?

"Do you know the same Sei that I do? The woman is no lady. She walks around the flat first thing in the morning in just her panties scratching her butt and her head at the same time whilst yawning and grumbling about some random thing." Kanata chuckles and everyone blanches at that thought. It isn't so bad for me I guess. I've seen her do that and I thought it was kinda cute.

"That theory is out of synch I think." I say and they all turn to look at me.

"Well I've spent so many weekends at yours that I have seen every weird thing that Sei does. Like laying on the sofa and moving her belly button as if it's a little mouth. I just think it's cute. The only thing that irritates me in the slightest is the fact that her wash basket is her entire bedroom floor."

"She plays with her belly button?" Aurora-Chan asks with a queer look on her cute little face.

"Yeah she sort of lays there and pushes the top and bottom together whilst speaking in a squeaky voice. She only does it when she thinks that nobody is watching." Kanata smiles at her. Aurora-Chan nods as she sticks her tongue out in distaste.

"That's just plain weird." Yumi says and I grin like an idiot.

"It's cute. It's her way of entertaining herself when she's bored of books, TV, and tormenting me and Kanata." I say in her defence and they shake their heads.

"No, Aurora-Chan is right. It's weird." Youko smiles.

"I think it could be quite amusing to watch." Shimako says in a quiet voice.

"Each to their own." Noriko grins and I chuckle at her.

"So are you moving in with her or not?" Lily-Chan bounces to a stop at my side and grins down at me.

"You have too much energy." I grumble and she simply nods as she sits down and leans against my arm.

"I know that, you know that, in fact I think everyone knows that. What we don't know is if you're moving in with the dirty old man or not." She grins. I somehow manage to keep the smile off of my face. The kids learn fast I guess.

"I don't know, before it was easy to make a decision. I was just her friend so getting used to her little quirks was never a bad thing. Now it's... I don't want our sex life to go down the pan." I grumble and she chuckles at me as the others watch us with keen eyes.

"May I give you some advice?" She wants to give me advice? She's nothing but a child and she wants to give me advice?

"You're not old enough to give me advice." I say and she pulls a funny face at me as Yumi laughs. Is what I said somehow funny? I'm right aren't I? She is just a kid. What would she know about things like this?

"Go for it." I say and she puts a fist in the air as if she's gained a victory over something.

"Right then... When my big sister moved in with a guy, she got irritated really easily with him. You could call it a volatile relationship but they were good for each other. She told me once that it's better to try and keep out from under each others feet and then make time to relax together. Also she said that you have to keep the relationship new. Go out on dates and don't fall into a routine. And most importantly you need to be able to communicate properly. My sis also says it's a good idea to spice things up a bit if the sex starts to lack. Buy some kinky underwear or something. What started out as rocky with them turned into a really happy home. Everytime she came home she had a grin on her face." I just stare at her as if the world has turned on its head. I turn to see that everyone except Yumi and Shimako are gawping at her.

"Erm... What did she just say?" I ask Yumi.

"See I could see her lips moving but the words got jumbled on their way into my ears." I say and she smiles as Lily-Chan huffs out her indignation.

"I'm trying to tell you that you need to swap and change the sex. Buy some toys and some sexy lingerie and don't always rely on Sei to get you off." She grumbles and I find my ability to blush. I turn my head slowly to look at her as I try to keep my head on my shoulders. I can feel my eye twitching as I look her over.

"You're just a kid. More importantly you're a kid from Lillian. You aren't meant to know things like that. Just who is your sister?" I ask and the smile that was on her face slips. Oh god, please don't tell me that such a simple question hurt her.

"My sister was a very knowledgeable and honest young woman. That's all you need to know." Her voice sounds aged and my mood falls to pieces. Her sister was...? Her sister isn't anymore? Shit!

"My old man's a dustman, he wears a dustman's hat, he wears core blimey trousers, and he lives in a council flat." Sei's voice sings from behind us and I hear Sachiko laughing like an idiot at her.

"Where do you get these things from? I've never heard a song like that before." Sachiko's smiling face comes into sight and I see Sei scratching her head as she grins with half closed eyes. They both look red in the face and jolly and I forget a little about the dismal mood that I had just inadvertently caused.

"It's English I think. It's really old and my dad used to sing it when he was cleaning up the house. It's probably the only good thing I got off the old fart. There was another one he used to sing about a guy who drove a fast milk cart... that one was funny too but I can't remember the words." Sei shakes her head and Sachiko chuckles at her. I don't think that I have ever seen Sachiko laugh so much.

"Oh and then there's one about a combine harvester but you have to sing it with an accent and I can't do it." Sei says and pats me on the head as she passes me some medicine. She sits down at the side that Lily-Chan isn't sat at and pats the space next to her so that Sachiko will sit down. Sei carries on talking about weird British things and Sachiko seems to be totally entertained. The others have caught onto the conversation and I take my chance to look at Lily-Chan. She has a distant look in her eyes and I need to do something to get her bounciness back. I tap her knee and motion for her to get up. She does as I ask and I take her away from the others to sit at the far side of the plunge pool.

"I didn't mean to upset you Lily-Chan." I say as I play with a stone.

"It isn't your fault Rei." She leaves off the Sama which I am so glad of. I like her just calling me Rei.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask her and she looks at me with bright eyes.

"You wouldn't mind me talking about her?" She asks and I just stare at her. Why on earth would I mind her talking about her sister?

"Of course I wouldn't mind you talking about her. You obviously love her a lot so it would be nice to hear about her." I say and she beams at me.

"I do love her ever so... She was like a mum to me because our mum died when I was young. I'm not sad about that because I didn't know her. My dad is a good man and he brought us both up. When Maya was old enough she started to look after me. She'd get me dressed in a morning and make sure I was fed and happy. She used to tell me stories about everything and she always had such a bright look in her eyes. She was the best and I will always love her for what she gave to me." She takes in a deep breath and her hands start to shake. Her eyes look lost and tormented and I feel an ache inside me when I realise that she has seen something that she shouldn't have.

"Lily-Chan...?" I whisper as I take her hand. She looks down at the two joined hands and then up at my face.

"There was seven years between us." She continues and I nod at her.

"Two years ago... Do you remember it being on the news that there was a shooting in downtown Tokyo?" She asks me and I rack my brain as I think about it. It all comes back to me and I remember the news reports. A man had gone crazy in the middle of the market place and he had gunned down over thirty people. It was a massacre of innocent people and what was worst is... No way... There was a single girl stood in the middle of it all holding onto... Oh no... Not little Lily-Chan.

"That girl... The one in the middle of it all was...?" I can't say it.

"It was me." She whispers and my stomach does a sickening lurch to get out of me but I just manage to keep it down.

"We were just walking from one stall to another and then there was all of this noise. It was so loud and at first I thought it was just fireworks going off, but the sky was dark... and then people started screaming. I was too short and the bullets missed me. Everyone fell down and everything was wet, but it wasn't raining. I just stood there not knowing what was going on. The man that did it... He looked at me. He looked right into my eyes as he stepped towards me and I just stood there. He was swaying and laughing as he pointed the gun at me and then... A police officer shot him in the head right in front of me. He fell to the floor as well. I looked down and saw my sister. I saw her and I was holding onto her hand and she was on the floor with her eyes open." Lily-Chan is shaking so bad that I'm scared for her. Her eyes are tortured and I move on instinct to sit behind her and hold her to me. I hold her tight as I try to not feel her pain but... She was just a child. She shouldn't have had to see something so barbaric. She isn't crying. I wonder... has she ever cried about it?

"The man took my mum and my sister from me on the same night. She told me though. She told me a lot of times that I should always be happy no matter what life gives me. I should be happy because she will always be around for me. So I laughed and played around with my friends and when I came to Lillian I try my hardest to show her how well I can do. Then Yumi saw me staring at the statue one day, and she put her hand on my shoulder, and she asked me why I was sad. I pushed her hand off of me and gave her my biggest smile and told her that I wasn't sad. Do you know what she did?" She asks me and I nod with a gentle smile. Yumi had taken the girl in her arms and told her that she should smile more often because it makes her look really pretty. At least that's what I heard from Yoshino who had been with her.

"She said that my smile would look better if my eyes smiled too." Lily-Chan whispers and I give her a gentle squeeze as I try to control my emotions. The girl has seen so much carnage and she still manages to smile? How does she do it? What makes her so strong? She pulls out of my hold and turns around to look at me.

"Lily-Chan...?" I whisper as I touch her cheek softly. She closes her eyes and smiles.

"I'm happy Rei. I have my sister in here." She touches her chest where her heart is.

"And because I'm happy life has given me more sisters to care for me. Then next year I will have a little sister to take care of. I can't dwell on the past because if I do it will hurt too much. So every morning I say a prayer for her soul and I live." She says and I smile in awe at the girl. She is wiser than I ever though she could be. Right now I know that she was a great choice as Yumi's petite soeur. She will make a fine Chinensis.

"I think you'll make a great Oneesama." I say to her and her eyes light up. Yumi was right. She really does look better when her eyes smile.

"Just so you know... You have a really big family now and you're stuck with us." I smile and she nods at me.

"I'm glad." She says. I'm not surprised this time when she flings her arms around my neck and hugs me. I wrap my arms around her and hold her as she kisses my cheek.

"Thank you for listening to me Rei."

"Anytime... You can always talk to me. Whenever you want or need to." I say and she releases me. She nods at me, kisses me on the cheek again and goes to pounce on Yumi-Chan. I sit here wondering how she manages it. Her smile isn't fake, and she isn't hiding from anything. She has faced her pain head on and she has survived. I hate to think what she would have done if she was Sei. She'd have closed down and retreated into her mind. Thank Maria-Sama that she is Lily-Chan.

I sigh to myself and jump as Sei plonks herself down next to me and gives me a grin. Her grin is real now as well. She stopped hiding. It's time for me to stop being scared as well.

"Sei... I would very much..." I sneeze and she jumps away ever so slightly. I can't believe I sneezed right when I was about to say something important to her.

"Ooh somebody is talking about you." She pulls her conspiracy face and I smile at her.

"It seems I am a very popular subject today then." I say and she nods as she nudges back towards me.

"I was about to say that I would like it if we lived together." I say and her eyes light up just like Lily-Chan's did.

"Don't get too excited Sei."

"You can't stop me." She sticks her tongue out at me and I snap my teeth at her. She giggles like she always did.

"I know that it might not work out and, we might balls up but, I intend on being as happy as I can for as long as I can." She says and I put my arm over her shoulder.

"I have a feeling that we aren't going to balls this up. I just don't want you getting too excited in case it isn't all that you expect it to be."

"Who cares? It's me and you and my clutter and your cooking. I can cook if you don't mind liquid lunches but other than that I suck as much as Kanata." She says and I shake my head. She's getting ahead of herself already.

"Slow down woman. If you look towards that day then you are going to miss what is going on in the here and now."

"Oh yeah...? Why what's happening here and now?" She asks me and I grin.

"You're about to get a cold." I say before kissing her passionately on the lips.

**R&R**

**This is the second to last chapter. Just one more to get through.**


	19. Chapter 19

**I don't own marimite.**

****

**Sei's POV**

**Seven months of cohabitation**

"Hey Sei...?" I hear Rei's voice from the bedroom and I look up from my book to see her walking down the corridor. Her hair has gotten a bit longer than it was when we were at Lillian but it looks good. She has it up in a little tuft of a pony tail and it looks really cute.

"What's up?" I ask as she leans over the back of the sofa and takes my reading glasses off of me.

"I was wondering... How do you feel about police officers?" She asks and I just shrug. It sounds to me like a random conversation starter although... we never really needed randomness to start our conversations up.

"I don't have anything against them but I don't know enough of them to make an opinion on all of them. I like the uniform though." I say and she smiles at me as she strokes my floppy fringe out of my face and kisses the tip of my nose.

"How would you feel about them if I became one?" She asks and I loose the ability to speak for a few moments. It takes an age for her words to process through my mind and when they do I realise that the conversation starter had been anything but random.

"Well... I don't know to be honest. You'd look good in the uniform that's for sure. I'm guessing you've been thinking about it for a while." I say and she shrugs. I know her well enough to know that she will have thought it over and over in her mind until she was sure that she really wanted it.

"No it just randomly popped into my mind." She says as she comes around the sofa and sits down on the edge of it.

"I'm just joking. I've had it on my mind for a few months really. I mean... I have all of this training with the kendo and judo and I want to put to good use. I've thought about it all. I could teach it at a school, I could open up my own dojo until my dad wants to hand his down or I could use it to keep people safe." She says and I nod as I place my book on the floor and give her all of my attention.

"Well if it is what you want to do then I'm not going to stop you. I'd prefer it if you had a safer job but if being a cop is going to keep you happy then I say you should go for it." I say and she nods.

"Well I have a few years to think it through seeing as I'm going to continue with my studies." She says. I wonder how I ever managed to bag a woman with such a mature head on her shoulders.

"You never know... You might change your mind before then." I say but I doubt it. I can see the glint in her eyes at the thought of beating up some villain. I hope she doesn't get her superhero head on.

"So have you thought about what you want to do after college?" She asks and I smile. For once I know exactly what I want to do. I know exactly what it is that I am destined for.

"I'm going to become a nun." I joke but her face falls.

"I'm only pulling your chain Rei, don't look so scared. I could never become something that I hate so much." I say and she relaxes.

"I'm going to teach Japanese and English literature." I say and she cocks an eyebrow at me.

"Well it's the most compatible thing for me to do. I love books. I love reading them and thinking over the plots and what was going through the authors mind. I think that it's what I'm meant to do." I say and she smiles at me.

"Satou Sei the teacher. Satou Sei the woman that shapes youngsters minds." She says it as if she is testing out how it sounds.

"Well there's one thing. You always manage to surprise me. I love that about you." She says and kisses me on the lips. I lean into the touch and she deepens it for a moment. When she pulls away I see her smiling at me through my half closed eyes.

"Do you think that I'll be able to do it?" I ask and she nods.

"Sure I do. I think you could do anything you put that immense brain of yours to." She says and I chuckle lightly.

"So what were you doing in the room?" I ask and she smiles in a way that tells me she's done something I'm not keen on.

"I was tidying it up and putting some order to it." She says and I grumble at her.

"You didn't have to."

"I know I didn't have to. I wanted to so I did. I know you like your clutter but I was bored of tripping over discarded underwear and clothes. Now it's neat and tidy and you actually have some clean clothes in your wardrobe. Now you don't have to worry about it when we go on our date later." She says and I look up into her eyes. Date...? We're going on a date? Did I forget an anniversary or something? No I can't have... We haven't been together for a year yet and we don't celebrate the monthly thing, it isn't her birthday and I know that it isn't mine so why? I'm starting to worry. I'm racking my brain to think of what I could have forgotten and she just lets me for a good few minutes. When she is finally satisfied that I have pulled myself apart enough she nudges my shoulder and I look up at her.

"You haven't forgotten anything I just wanted to take you out. I figured the both of us have the night off work and we've both done our studies for the night so I want to take you out to relax." She says and I smile as wide as I can. She's great for me. I love her so much and this is exactly why.

"That sounds like a great idea. Where are we going?" I ask and she smiles.

"It's a surprise. You just need to make yourself look presentable." She kisses me on the lips briefly before getting to her feet and walking into the bedroom.

"I'm nipping in the shower." She says and I nod at her.

"Sure thing but... When you come out can you pick some clothes for me?" I ask and she looks at me with soft honest eyes.

"Of course I will. I'll pick them when you're in the shower after me." She says. I watch her walk down the corridor to the bathroom and just listen to the noises that she makes. I wonder what kind of date it is. She had better not be taking me to McDonalds. I think I'll die of disappointment if she does that to me. She had better let me pay for some of the bill as well because she knows I don't like her paying for everything. What the hell am I doing still sat on the couch? I jump up and walk into the bathroom.

"Sei...?" She asks and I smile as I strip off.

"I was thinking that it would be faster if we shower together. I have such a practical head on my shoulders." I chuckle and she smiles at me as she pulls me into the cubicle.

"Well hello there. Fancy meeting you here." I joke and hear her hiss as I push her up against the cold tile wall and kiss her on the lips. Whoever said that the passion goes out of a relationship once you start living together?

"Oh Sei the tiles are... Oh." She moans and lowers her head to my shoulder as I hook her leg around my waist and... Yeah you don't get to read that bit because I like to keep these explicit things to myself these days. Especially since they sort of become more explicit the longer we are together.

THE END

**Hope you liked it people. R&R as always. That chapter was just to make people smile at the lack of angst they ended up with.**


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